FAQ

WHAT IS A SCHOOL LIAISON AND HOW CAN THEY HELP ME?

The School Liaison (SL) is a bridge between parents, educators and the command to help military-connected families and children experience a seamless transition during transfers between schools. 

School Liaison's provide information about educational options, home schooling and local schools, assist families with inbound/outbound school transfers, help navigate the special education process and administrative systems within local education agencies. SLs provide resources for college readiness, deployment support, and connection with community resources.

SLOs are the liaison between command, schools and military families, and can link you up with a SLO in your next duty station.

HOW DO I CHOOSE A SCHOOL?
We know the importance of choosing a school that best meets the needs of your military child(ren). In Monterey, schooling depends on where students live. Families living in military housing (La Mesa Village and the Ord Military Community) are zoned for the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) www.mpusd.net.  Carmel Valley https://www.carmelunified.org/ and Pacific Grove https://pgusd.org/  school districts require physical proof of residency within their boundaries and transfers into these districts are not permitted. 

Even though we are unable to make direct recommendations for schools, we are available to help you research and acquire information about the schools in your area. We can provide overall information on public, private, and charter schools, options and support for homeschool and help you determine what schools you might be mapped to according to your residence. Academic, demographic, and fiscal information on California schools can be found using the following resources:
Ed-Data
California Dashboard
School Accountability Report Card
Greatschools.org
SchoolDigger.com

WHAT IS THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA)?

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Barack Obama on December 10, 2015 and replaces the 2001 No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. The ESSA retains the annual standardized testing requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act but shifts the law's federal accountability provisions to states. Under the law, students will continue to take annual tests between the third and eighth grades.

The ESSA set new mandates on expectations and requirements for students with disabilities. Most students with disabilities will be required to take the same assessments and will be held to the same standards as other students. The Department of Education does not define disabled, rather, each state decides its own definition in order to determine which students will be allowed to take alternate assessments. 

The ESSA has also recognized that bullying and harassment in schools disproportionately affects students with disabilities. Because of this, the ESSA requires states to develop and implement plans on how they will combat and attempt to reduce bullying incidents on their campuses

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento Act) is federal legislation that ensures the educational rights and protections of children and youths experiencing homelessness. It requires all local educational agencies (LEAs) to ensure that homeless students have access to the same free, appropriate public education, including public preschools, as provided to other children and youths. ESSA increases resources for homeless students by expanding the availability and use of Title IA funds.  ESSA provides all children and youth in foster care with core protections for school stability and school access.

The ESSA recognizes military-connected students as a distinct subgroup, including students with a parent who is an active duty member of the Armed Forces and National Guard. The Military Student Identifier (MSI) indicates a student with a parent who is a member of the Armed Forces and provides educators with critical information to personalize attention to military dependent children. Schools (LEAs and public Charters) must include the military student identifier question, for example in their student enrollment procedure.

For more information, please visit: https://www.ed.gov/ESSA

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH AND IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS?

Immunization and health checkup fact sheet for the California Dept of Education can be found at: www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/cefimmunization.asp and  https://www.shotsforschool.org/k-12/. Students are not permitted to attend school until all required immunizations are complete.  Proof of Physical Examination is required if enrolling in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten or 1st grade.  Proof of Oral Health Assessment is required for the first year in public school; either transitional kindergarten, kindergarten or 1st grade. Proof of TDAP or the DTP booster is required for Grades 7-12.

The federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act requires schools to enroll new students who are homeless even if their immunization records are missing or unavailable at the time of enrollment. California law requires schools to immediately enroll foster children transferring to their school even if a foster child is unable to produce immunization records normally required for school entry

WHAT ARE THE SCHOOL REGISTRATION PROCEDURES?

This depends on what school district you are looking to enroll your child. Most schools require: 

• Proof of Age:  Evidence of the child's age may include a certified birth certificate 

• Immunization Record: Students are not permitted to attend school until all required immunizations are complete. Visit https://www.shotsforschool.org/k-12/.

• Proof of Physical Examination: (If enrolling in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten or 1st grade)

• Proof of Residence:  Military orders, hotel receipt, lease agreement or rent receipt

• Previous school records: Students entering grades 10-12 MUST provide a transcript

• Name, address telephone number of previous schools.

We recommend that you contact the school directly once you establish residence. However, one thing you can do to prepare is to use the Checklist for School Moves and ensure that you hand carry all necessary documents.

WHAT DO I DO IF I’M ON A HOUSING WAIT-LIST OR AM IN TEMPORARY HOUSING?

Most military housing areas and school districts within school boundaries of military housing are familiar with this situation. You may use your military orders and a hotel receipt or housing lease as proof of residency to register your children. You may also wish to ask your local housing office for a letter indicating that you are on the waitlist and will be moving into housing within 30 days. Carmel Valley https://www.carmelunified.org/ and Pacific Grove https://pgusd.org/  school districts require physical proof of residency within their boundaries. If you have questions or issues, please contact your SL.

WHAT IS THE INTERSTATE COMPACT AND WHAT CAN IT DO FOR MY FAMILY?

The Compact deals with the challenges of military children and their frequent relocations. It allows for uniform treatment as military children transfer between school districts in member states. The Interstate Compact seeks to make transition easier for the children of military families so that they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and are not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. Note: The Compact only applies to public schools and addresses areas such as Enrollment, Eligibility, Placement and Attendance, and Graduation. Additional resources and information are available at www.mic3.net 

WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE FOR BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CARE?

Requesting care is available online at www.navymwr.org . Look for the "Child and Youth Programs button and select "I need care". You may go directly to the waiting list program by visiting www.militarychildcare.com Using the drop down menu, fill in the pertinent information and follow the steps to request care.

We recommend you visit https://militarychildcare.com  to set up a profile and request child care as we have an extensive waiting list.  Many of our programs require registration even if you are not using childcare services. 

You may find information regarding childcare and afterschool programs at:

La Mesa CDC:  https://monterey.navylifesw.com/  

and Ord CDC: https://presidio.armymwr.com/programs/cyss.

A variety of programs are offered throughout the year to enhance and support the military/DoD experience in Monterey.  The Tech Connection/Teen and Youth Center is a proud member of the Boys and Girls Club of America and 4-H affiliate.  

The Tech Connection Teen & Youth Center offers the following: 

School Age Care: Fee-Based program offering daily before and/or after school care for military/DoD Dependents who have started grades Kindergarten – 7th grade.  (Transitional Kindergarten not eligible).  This program is designed to meet the needs of school-aged youth in the hours before and after school.  

Before School: Care provided before-school daily 6-8 am. Counselors provide walking transportation from the Youth Center to La Mesa Elementary School.

After School: Care provided after-school daily 2:25 pm - 6:00 pm Monday-Friday, 12:50 pm - 6:00 pm Wednesday. Counselors provide walking transportation from La Mesa Elementary School to the Youth Center. 

Teen Programs: FREE after school program for military/DoD Dependents who have started grades 8 – 12th grade, Teens must be a minimum 13 years old.  

After School: Open 3:30-6 pm Monday-Friday, 2-6 pm Wednesday. 

To Register: Visit the Family Enrollment Page https://elibrary.cnic-n9portal.net/familyenrollment/youth-programs/SAC/ download the forms or contact the Youth Center for more information.

Please view other childcare options in Monterey. If you are still having difficulty, contact your School Liaison Officer who will work with you to try to find other options.

WHAT DO I DO IF I’M MOVING WITH A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS?

In the Navy, your School Liaison Officer can help you with the special needs navigation of the school or district that you are planning to send your child(ren) to. You should also contact the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) to ensure that you are enrolled and that you have all information and resources that they offer. Learn more about the Navy's Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP).

CAN SCHOOL LIAISON OFFICERS ADVOCATE IN AN IEP FOR MY CHILD?

The Navy School Liaisons are not able to advocate on your behalf. In our program, we offer information and resources, and help you find the right people to talk to at the school or district. If you ever have issues with your IEP or school, please call your School Liaison since we also have many community resources that can offer guidance and direct assistance.