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Education Policies and Programs Supporting Military Families

Information on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Interstate Compact for the Educational Opportunity for Military Students

This Interstate Compact addresses the unique issues students of Military families face due to frequent relocations in the course of service to our country and during stressful times of deployments. In an event to reduce the significant school challenges faced by these families, the Council of State Governments; National Center for Interstate Compacts developed this legislation to create an even playing field as our military children transfer between school systems and states. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the voluntary Compact through legislation. New Mexico adopted the compact in May 2010 and the New Mexico Children’s Education Council is the committee that oversees its enforcement throughout the state. The Kirtland AFB 377 Mission Support Commander is the appointed DoD representative, and the Kirtland AFB School Liaison Program Manager is the New Mexico Subject Matter Expert for the council. The committee meets at least once annually.

The compact addresses many of the difficulties families face during PCS and deployments. It specifically covers:

  • Enrollment
    • Educational Records
    • Immunizations required for school
    • Age of Enrollment/Course continuation
  • Eligibility
    • Power of Attorney
    • Tuition
    • Non-Custodial parents
    • Extracurricular Activities
  • Placement
    • Course placement/Educational Program placement
    • Special Education Services
    • Placement Flexibility
    • Absence as related to deployment activities
  • Graduation
    • Waiver requirements
    • Exit exams
    • Transfers during Senior year

Albuquerque Public Schools has voluntarily adopted policies and procedures to fulfill all areas of the compact. Review APS’s Military Children Procedural Directives.

For more information on the Interstate Compact, including contact information, visit www.mic3.net.

Who is Covered under the Compact?

The Compact covers children of:

  • Active duty members of the uniformed services and members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders (Title 10)
  • Members or veterans who are medically discharged or retired for a period of one year
  • Members who perish while on active duty, for a period of one year following their death 

The compact does not apply to children of:

  • Inactive members of the National Guard and Reserves
  • Members of the uniformed services now retired not covered in the above
  • Veterans of the uniformed services not covered in the above
  • Other U.S. Department of Defense personnel and other federal agency civilian and contract employees not defined as active duty members of the uniformed services

Impact Aid

The mission of the Impact Aid Program is to disburse Impact Aid payments to local educational agencies that are financially burdened by federal activities and to provide technical assistance and support services to staff and other interested parties. At the beginning of each school year, your child’s school will send home a form to be completed by a parent or guardian. Please complete and return this form- it is our only means of providing financial support to the local school districts. Since 1940, Congress has provided financial assistance to local school districts through the Impact Aid Program. Impact Aid was designed to assist local school districts that have lost property tax revenue due to the presence of tax-exempt Federal property, or that have experienced increased expenditures due to the enrollment of federally connected children.

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015. This Act reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law. ESSA is the national education law that reinforces the longstanding commitment to ensuring equal opportunity for all students. The ESSA provides New Mexico with a long-term stability that holds states, local school systems and schools accountable for results while encouraging them to be innovative in their work. The previous version of the law, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act, was enacted in 2002.