Georgia Passes Compact!

Our Association is thrilled to learn Georgia has finally passed the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. Governor Nathan Deal signed the Compact legislation into law at Fort Benning on April 25. With Wyoming and Pennsylvania both recently joining the Compact, Georgia will be the 42nd state to become a member. Ninety-five percent of military children are now covered by the Compact.

As we reported in our February 7 issue of Military Family Topics, Georgia remained the largest military-impacted state that had not joined the Compact. You may recall Georgia passed legislation in 2009 that mirrored some of the Compact’s provisions. Although helpful to the 42,000 military children currently residing in Georgia, it did not protect those same military children as they left the state.

Our Association sent a letter to Governor Deal urging Georgia to pass the Compact legislation. In addition, we asked our members and website visitors to contact the governor’s office to explain why they felt it was important for Georgia to become a member of the Compact. We urged them to share their personal stories of how their child’s education was impacted as they transitioned in and out of Georgia. We know this issue is important to you and for those of you who reached out to the governor, thank you.

By becoming a member of the Compact, Georgia will now be able to work cooperatively with other states to ensure all military children have the educational opportunities they deserve. It also gives Georgia a voice on the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3), which is the governing body of the Compact.

In addition to Georgia, a number of other states and the District of Columbia are considering Compact legislation this year. Our Association will continue to encourage these remaining states, territories, and the District to join the Compact. We will also continue to speak out about the necessity for member states to implement the Compact at the local level. Adopting the Compact is just the first step. Forming a state council and educating local principals, counselors, and teachers is the next critical step to making this Compact truly effective for military families. Our Association remains committed to doing all we can to help make that goal a reality.