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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
interstate compact; military children; revisions
Purpose
Makes two technical changes to the citations referencing the U.S. code to reference the chapters, rather than sections, relating to active-duty status of members of the U.S. uniformed services and national guard and reserve members on active-duty orders.
Background
In 2006, the U.S. Department of Defense (USDOD) Office of Personnel and Readiness, in cooperation with the Council of State Governments (CSG) and National Center for Interstate Compacts, drafted the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children (Interstate Compact) to address certain educational challenges transitioning children of military families encounter. The Defense State Liaison Office (DSLO) and CSG convened an advisory group comprised of federal, state and local officials, as well as national stakeholder organizations representing education groups and military families to create the interstate agreement. In 2007, the advisory group finalized the model statute language which was promoted by the USDOD as one of their key priorities for military families, and through the DSLO advocacy, was adopted by state legislatures within six years. The Interstate Compact has since been adopted by all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia (Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission and ADE).
The purpose of the Interstate Compact is to remove barriers to
educational success imposed on children of military families because of
frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:
1) facilitating the timely enrollment of children of military families and
ensuring that they are not placed at a disadvantage due to difficulty in the
transfer of education records from the previous school districts, variations in
entrance or age requirements; 2) facilitating the student placement process
through which children of military families are not disadvantaged by variations
in attendance requirements, scheduling, sequencing, grading, course content or
assessment;
3) facilitating the qualification and eligibility for enrollment, educational
programs and participation in extracurricular academic, athletic and social
activities; 4) facilitating the on-time graduation of children of military
families; 5) providing for the promulgation and enforcement of administrative
rules implementing the provisions of this compact; 6) providing for the uniform
collection and sharing of information between and among member states, schools
and military families under the compact; 7) promoting coordination between the
compact and other compacts affecting military children; and 8) promoting
flexibility and cooperation between the educational system, parents and the
student in order to achieve educational success for the student (A.R.S.
§ 15-1911).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Updates two citations within the Interstate Compact, which reference the U.S. Code as it relates to the armed forces, to cite the specified chapters, rather than sections, regarding active-duty status for members of the U.S. uniformed services as well as national guard and reserve members on active-duty orders.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
MAPS 2/13/23 DP 15-0-0-0
3rd Read 2/28/23 31-28-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 13, 2023
ZD/KS/sr