Pre-K to 12 Education

The Military Child Education Coalition supports military-connected children, youth and teens by educating, advocating and collaborating to resolve education challenges associated with the military lifestyle. MCEC offers programs, initiatives and resources to both military families and educators. MCEC provides support to military-connected students through peer-to-peer mentoring programs, the Frances Hesselbein Student Leadership Program, student-focused webinars and their Student Advisory Council.

School liaisons are the main contact for military families, local school systems and installation command for school-related matters pre-K through 12. Local school liaisons help with transition support before and after a PCS and assist military-connected children with Interstate Compact compliance.

School liaisons:

• Provide information on school districts and boundaries
• Assist with transfer of credits and class registration
• Help locate after-school and extracurricular programs
• Set up tutoring and youth sponsorship referrals
• Help with college, career and military readiness
• Connect families to the Exceptional Family Member Program and the new school’s special education department
• Help families navigate the new school district’s special education program

Connect to homeschooling resources on your installation, including local school liaisons and child, youth and teen programs. You can also find home-schooling support and activities when you are located on an installation through Department of Defense Education Activity, or DoDEA.

Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families can help your student stay ahead or get caught up. Live tutors are online and can help with homework, studying, test prep, proofreading, organizational skills and more. Tutoring and homework support is available 24/7 at no cost to:

• Active-duty service members, their spouses and K-12 dependents
• Surviving spouses (unmarried)
• Surviving dependent children and orphans of personnel who died on active duty or while in retired status (whether the surviving spouse remarries or not)

Head Start is a federally funded program that teaches reading, math and other developmental skills to children 5 and younger before they start school. If your family has a low income, a foster child or a child with special needs, see if you qualify for this program.

Sure Start is a Department of Defense Education Activity, or DoDEA, program open to command-sponsored military children who meet specific age requirements and other criteria. Sure Start offers a comprehensive early childhood education learning program as well as health and social benefits for military-connected children.

DOD MWR Libraries is a free, online resource for service members and military families that offers a wide variety of activities and materials for all ages — including eBooks and audiobooks on virtually every topic. Children can learn to read, explore interests, research school assignments, access professional tutors for homework help and much more.

Military OneSource education consultants can assist you with questions about your child’s education. One-on-one sessions are free and confidential and can provide you with referrals to in-home tutors and tutoring centers in your area as well as public and private school information. Contact Military OneSource any time to schedule an appointment. Call 800-342-9647, view international calling options or log in to start a secure live chat.

Student 2 Student is a student-led and faculty-advised program with the mission to take care of new students. An S2S program shows students their new campus and introduces them to their new community. It provides fun ways for new students to get to know other students, build new peer groups and encourage new students to perform better in school.

States are required to test all third- through eighth-grade students in reading and math every year and at least once in high school. The exact dates and years vary, so get the testing schedule from your child’s new school as soon as possible. Put the dates on a calendar so you don’t plan a vacation or schedule a dentist appointment during those days.

Ask the principal, the guidance counselor or your child’s teacher about what your child is expected to know in the new school district. It’s possible your child’s prior school had a different curriculum. Most school districts have websites with detailed information about knowledge expectations. Your installation school liaison can assist if you can’t locate that information.

Standardized tests theoretically measure how well a student and the school are performing. In some states, these tests determine which students will graduate or go on to the next grade.

Find out how your child’s school will use test scores and how the scores might affect your child’s education. States also use the standardized test scores to issue School and District Report Cards, which show how well each school and district are doing.

These reports are the best and most accurate information for making the right school selection for your child. Visit your state’s department of education website or the district’s website to view your child’s future school report.

If your child qualifies for test-taking accommodations, those accommodations must be documented in the child’s Individualized Education Program, or IEP, or the 504 Plan. Find out more about the accommodations for which your child may qualify from the Exceptional Family Member Program or school liaison staff. Additionally, you can access a Military OneSource special needs consultation. Consultants can answer your questions and concerns related to your child with special needs. Call 800-342-9647, log in to start a secure live chat or view overseas calling options.

Do not overly emphasize test scores or results, but be clear about what will be different at the new school. Assure children that good study habits all year as well as practice sessions with teachers can help them feel less stressed about standardized testing and changing schools.