1. David Splitek, Ph.D., Program Manager Higher Education Initiatives www.MilitaryChild.org …for the sake of the child Princeton University October 8, 2014 Military Children and Schools

2. About the Military Child Education Coalition www.MilitaryChild.org Vision: To serve as a model of positive leadership and advocacy for ensuring quality educational opportunities for all military children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition. Mission: To ensure quality educational experiences for all military children Military Child Education Coalition 909 Mountain Lion Circle Harker Heights, Texas 76548 (254) 953-1923 www.MilitaryChild.org Combined Federal Campaign approved organization, #10261

3. Presentation Roadmap www.MilitaryChild.org  Overview of Military and Military- Connected Children Demographics  MCEC Origins  MCEC National Policy Priorities  Summary

4. Military Facts and Figures www.MilitaryChild.org All volunteer force since 1973 (40+ years) About 1.4 million on active duty About 1.4 million National Guard/Reserve Forces Across all branches: 50% are below age 25 85% male High school degree or equivalent 70% have at least some college credit About half are married 10% are dual-military marriages

5. Who Are the Military Children? www.MilitaryChild.org Almost 2M children (Mom, Dad or Both Active Duty, Guard or Reserve) 1.1 Million school-aged (5-18) 630,000 children of Active Duty 480,000 children of Guard & Reserves 75% of Active Duty children under age 12

6. Military Children and Transitions www.MilitaryChild.org Over 2 million children have a mother or father who served in Iraq or Afghanistan Active Duty Military families move 3 times more frequently than civilian counterparts

7. Distribution of Military-Connected Children by Type of School Environment www.MilitaryChild.org On average, 90% of public education funding comes from state and local sources. Public Schools:76% Private/Parochial: 10% DoDEA: 8% Home Schooled: 6%*

8. MCEC Origins www.MilitaryChild.org  1950-1975 Vietnam  1973 All-Volunteer -> Longer Service  All-Volunteer -> More Married, More Children  1983 Grenada  1991 Desert Storm  1995 Bosnia

9. MCEC Origins www.MilitaryChild.org  Military Parent Issues coalesced in 1990’s  School Policies and Admin Rules did not recognize mobile students  Grade level placement  Course Placement  Graduation Requirements  Extra-curricular participation  Student to student connections  School-Age Eligibility Dates  Immunization Requirements

10. MCEC Origins www.MilitaryChild.org  1997 Ft. Hood and Killeen ISD leadership met informally  1997 MCEC created as a nonprofit organization supported financially by KISD for several years  Now serving military-connected children worldwide

11. 11 www.MilitaryChild.org State Rank by Populations of Military Connected Children 1/1 2/3 3/2 4/4 5/5 6/6 7/7 8/8 9/9 MD 10/10 HI 11/14 SC 12/12 13/11 14/13 18/18

12. 12 The 25 Largest Districts for Military Student Populations www.MilitaryChild.org State School District Total Military Students% of Military TXKilleen ISD1687845% VAVirginia Beach City Public Schools1435322% NCCumberland County Schools1085923% HICentral Admin SD955431% VAFairfax County Public Schools92256% CASan Diego USD90238% UTDavis School District765612% TNClarksville-Montgomery County748926% NCOnslow County Schools741533% VAChesapeake Public Schools628217% TXEl Paso ISD590510% WAClover Park School District481541% FLOkaloosa County SD469417% COFountain-Fort Carson SD 8430065% OKLawton Public Schools427828% VANorfolk Public Schools416715% VAPrince William County Public Schools41235% KSGeary County USD 475405156% MDAnne Arundel County PS37495% TXNorthside ISD36734% FLHillsborough County PS36622% MOWaynesville R-VI SD348862% VANewport News Public Schools346213% VAYork County School Division311526% TXCopperas Cove ISD306339%

13. Military Child Education Coalition Policy Priorities www.MilitaryChild.org Data Quality: We support the inclusion of a military-connected student identifier in state public school data systems to help us better understand and track the academic progress of these students and they move through their K-12 school years. College and Career Ready: We support programs designed to ensure that all students are college and career-ready when they graduate from high school. Implementation of the Interstate Compact: We support the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children. The Compact provides the best opportunity for continuity for mobile military children throughout their K-12 school years.

14. How We Serve – Research and Scholarly Publications Over a Decade of In-Depth Inquiry and Analysis -- Research -- The Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS), 2001: Made recommendations to improve the transition of military-connected students The Special Needs Studies, 2005 and 2009: Explored what transitioning military families face when moving with children who have special needs Education of the Military Child in the 21st Century (EMC-21), 2011: Updates SETS; explores the education challenges of military-connected students with deployed parents; surveys home schooled students; studies challenges faced by children of Reserves and National Guard during deployments Scholarly Publications -- The Future of Children (FOC), 2013: Jointly developed with Princeton University, The Brookings Institution, and MCEC -- to promote effective policies and programs for military-connected children and their families by providing timely, objective information based on the best available research. Spring 2014 www.MilitaryChild.org 18

15. MCEC National Training Seminar: July 30-31, 2015 Washington, DC www.MilitaryChild.org 20

16. www.MilitaryChild.org …for the sake of the child