2008 Woodie Awards
States Simplify Process for MIlitary Children to Move, Switch Schools
Kristen Wyatt: Associated Press
Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: News
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) _ Leonor Chavez, the wife of a Navy doctor, doesn't worry about her daughter having to change schools every few years. It's the paperwork that bothers her.
"Every county's different. Every state's different. Every school's different," said Chavez, whose husband now works at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. "Paperwork's what daunts me the most. She can adjust pretty quickly."
Legislation under consideration in Maryland and dozens of other states is intended to ease the transition for students like Chavez's 11-year-old daughter, who started a new school in a new state this year.
Military "brats" change schools an average of six to nine times between kindergarten and 12th grade. A proposed multistate compact supported by the Pentagon is aimed at reducing the complications involved.
"The one thing we continuously forget to address is the sacrifices our children are forced to make," said Rear Adm. Len Hering, commander of the Navy's Southwest region.
Hering moved to San Diego from Annapolis as his middle son entered his senior year. The transition to California tested the whole family, Hering recalled.
His son hoped to take Advanced Placement courses in chemistry and calculus; instead the boy had to waste school hours repeating physical education and state history courses usually taught to freshmen. California was the third state in which he attended high school, and he had to take three classes in basic state history.
"He was denied AP Calculus and AP Chemistry. He took badminton with 9th graders and a third history course," Hering said.
Pentagon supporters say the multistate agreement would help the armed forces: difficulties uprooting children are cited as a major reason people leave active duty.
"Military families consider the quality of their children's education to be one of their primary quality-of-life concerns," said Leslye A. Arsht, the Pentagon's deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy.
"Every county's different. Every state's different. Every school's different," said Chavez, whose husband now works at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. "Paperwork's what daunts me the most. She can adjust pretty quickly."
Legislation under consideration in Maryland and dozens of other states is intended to ease the transition for students like Chavez's 11-year-old daughter, who started a new school in a new state this year.
Military "brats" change schools an average of six to nine times between kindergarten and 12th grade. A proposed multistate compact supported by the Pentagon is aimed at reducing the complications involved.
"The one thing we continuously forget to address is the sacrifices our children are forced to make," said Rear Adm. Len Hering, commander of the Navy's Southwest region.
Hering moved to San Diego from Annapolis as his middle son entered his senior year. The transition to California tested the whole family, Hering recalled.
His son hoped to take Advanced Placement courses in chemistry and calculus; instead the boy had to waste school hours repeating physical education and state history courses usually taught to freshmen. California was the third state in which he attended high school, and he had to take three classes in basic state history.
"He was denied AP Calculus and AP Chemistry. He took badminton with 9th graders and a third history course," Hering said.
Pentagon supporters say the multistate agreement would help the armed forces: difficulties uprooting children are cited as a major reason people leave active duty.
"Military families consider the quality of their children's education to be one of their primary quality-of-life concerns," said Leslye A. Arsht, the Pentagon's deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy.
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