Military Children

The purpose of this procedural directive is to outline Albuquerque Public Schools compliance with the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. Albuquerque Public Schools shall attempt to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families due to frequent moves and deployment of their parents/legal guardians.

Definitions

For purposes of this procedural directive, “military child” and “child of a military family” means a student whose parent(s)/legal guardian(s) are in full-time active duty status in the active uniformed service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders.

For purposes of this procedural directive, “sending school” means the school a student immediately-previously attended prior to enrollment in Albuquerque Public Schools.

For purposes of this procedural directive, “receiving school” means the Albuquerque Public School a military child is currently attending or will attend upon arrival to Albuquerque.

This procedural directive specifically states the Board of Education policies, administrative procedural directives and/or district documents from which a child of a military family shall be exempt. This procedural directive also shall establish the alternative requirements, expectations and/or process a child of a military shall follow in relation to the subject discussed.

Superintendent Communication with Kirtland Air Force Base

The superintendent, or his/her designee, shall openly communicate on a regular basis with the military or civilian school liaison officer, or his/her designee from Kirtland Air Force Base to foster a working partnership which will discuss issues which may impact the educational success of military children.

Power of Attorney

Albuquerque Public Schools shall recognize a special power of attorney, relative to the guardianship of a child of a military family, as sufficient for the purposes of enrollment and any actions requiring parental/legal guardian participation and consent.

Student Records

Military children and their families shall comply with requirements outlined in related student records and information policies and procedural directives with exception to the following provisions:

In the event that official education records cannot be released to the parents/legal guardians for the purpose of transfer, and Albuquerque Public Schools is the sending school of a military child, the sending school shall prepare and furnish to the parent/legal guardian a complete set of unofficial education records containing uniform information as required by the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
As a receiving school, Albuquerque Public Schools shall enroll and appropriately place the military child based on the information provided in the unofficial records, pending validation by the official records, as quickly as possible.
Simultaneous with the enrollment and conditional placement of the military child, the receiving school shall request the student’s official education record from the sending school.
If an Albuquerque Public Schools is a sending school and it receives a request for official education records of a military child who previously attended Albuquerque Public Schools, upon receipt of the request, the sending school shall process and furnish the official education records to the receiving school within ten (10) days or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

Immunizations

Military children shall comply with requirements outlined in the “Immunizations: Registration and Enrollment” procedural directive with exception to the following provisions:

Military children shall not be required to obtain required immunizations or qualify for an exemption prior to enrollment in an Albuquerque Public Schools.
Albuquerque Public Schools shall immediately enroll but conditionally place military children for thirty(30) days while the military child obtains required immunizations.
- For a series of immunizations, initial vaccinations shall be obtained within thirty (30) days of enrollment.

If after thirty (30) days the military child has not yet received required immunizations or the initial vaccinations for a series of immunizations, the military child shall be subject to provisions in the “Immunizations: Registration and Enrollment” procedural directive.

School in Attendance Zone

A military child who is in transition and is placed in the care of a noncustodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis who lives in a jurisdiction other than that of the custodial parent/legal guardian may continue to attend the school in which the child was enrolled while residing with the custodial parent/legal guardian.

Albuquerque Public Schools shall not be responsible for transportation of students who fall in this category.

Enrollment and Instructional Placement

Military children shall comply with requirements outlined in the “Enrollment: Kindergarten and First Grade” and the appropriate “Instructional Program” procedural directives and corresponding Board of Education policy with exception to the following provisions:

Military children who transfer into Albuquerque Public Schools, unless refused by the parent/legal guardian, shall be placed in the same grade that the student was in prior to transferring regardless of the student’s age.
- This provision includes kindergarten. Therefore, if a student was already enrolled in and attending kindergarten in their previous state they shall be placed in kindergarten in Albuquerque Public Schools even if they do not meet the minimum age requirement established by state statute and regulation and Board of Education policy.
- Military children that have satisfactorily completed the prerequisite grade level in the student’s previous state, unless refused by the parent/legal guardian, shall be eligible for enrollment in the next highest grade level in Albuquerque Public Schools regardless of age.
- Albuquerque Public Schools, unless refused by the parent/legal guardian, shall initially place a military child in the same educational courses based on the student’s current enrollment in the sending state school, current educational assessments, or participation or placement in like program in the sending state. If Albuquerque Public Schools does not offer the same education courses, it shall enroll the student in the closest equivalent course possible that is offered in the district. These courses include, but are not limited to:
  - Honors courses
  - International baccalaureate courses
  - Advanced placement courses
  - Vocational, technical and career pathway courses
  - Gifted programs
  - English as a second language programs
  - Dual language programs
  - Albuquerque Public Schools administrators shall have flexibility in waiving course or program prerequisites or other preconditions for placement in courses or programs offered under the jurisdiction of the Albuquerque Public Schools.
  - Albuquerque Public Schools may perform subsequent evaluations post-initial placement to ensure appropriate placement and continued enrollment of the military child in courses.
  - Albuquerque Public Schools shall honor a special education placement from the sending school. Albuquerque Public Schools shall provide comparable services to a military child with disabilities based on the child’s current IEP. Albuquerque Public Schools may perform subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.
  - Albuquerque Public Schools shall honor reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of incoming students with disabilities, subject to an existing 504 or Title II plan, to provide the student with equal access to education. Albuquerque Public Schools may perform subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.

Graduation

Military children shall comply with requirements for graduation outlined in the “Instructional Program” procedural directive and corresponding Board of Education policy with exception to the following provisions:

Albuquerque Public Schools shall waive specific courses required for graduation if similar course work has been completed in another school district or shall provide reasonable justification for denial of waivers.
If course waivers are not granted to military children who would qualify to graduate from the sending school, Albuquerque Public Schools shall provide an alternative means of acquiring required coursework so that graduation may occur on time.
Albuquerque Public Schools shall accept exit or end-of-course exams required for graduation from the military student’s previous state.
Albuquerque Public Schools shall work with the sending school to ensure that if a military child transferring during his or her senior year is ineligible to graduate from Albuquerque Public Schools the sending school will provide a diploma as long as the student meets the sending school’s graduation requirements.
Albuquerque Public Schools shall attempt to the best of its ability to assist with on-time graduation of a military child if he/she transfers to a school that is not a member of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

Attendance

Military children shall comply with requirements outlined in the “Attendance” procedural directive and corresponding Board of Education policy with exception to the following provisions:

Albuquerque Public Schools shall allow a reasonable amount of additional excused absences for a military child in the event that the student’s parent/legal guardian has been called to duty for, is on leave from or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting.
Parents/legal guardians shall be responsible for contacting the school regarding the expected absence using the school’s established notification system.
Parents/legal guardians shall be responsible for effectively communicating with the principal and working out a reasonable amount of additional excused absences that is approved by the principal.

Tuition

Albuquerque Public Schools shall not charge tuition to a military child to attend any Albuquerque Public School regardless of the student’s residence or school.

Activities

Military children shall comply with requirements outlined in the “Extracurricular Activities Handbook” procedural directives and corresponding Board of Education policy with exception to the following provisions:

Albuquerque Public Schools shall facilitate the opportunity for transitioning military children’s inclusion in extracurricular activities, regardless of school-imposed application deadlines, to the extent they are otherwise qualified to participate.

Military Family Assistance

Military families who need assistance enrolling in Albuquerque Public Schools are encouraged to speak directly to the Kirtland Air Force Base school liaison officer or the principal at the school the student will attend. Other district contacts for military families in regard to this procedural directive are the Albuquerque Public Schools Student, School and Community Service Center and the Board of Education Services Office.

Administrative Position: Chief Academic Officer

Department Director:

References

Legal Cross Ref.:

§11-8B-1 et. seq. NMSA 1978

Board Policy Cross Ref.:

Procedural Directive Cross Ref.:

NSBA/NEPN Classification: KLMA

Introduced: December 3, 2010
Adopted: December 17, 2010