Enrollment Options for Students from Active Duty Military Families
Ohio supports military families as they navigate transitions both into and out of the state. On average, active-duty military families change duty stations every two to three years, and military-connected students may change schools six to nine times before graduating.
Schools and districts that service Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio’s largest military installation, are most impacted by these enrollment flexibilities. Other schools and districts around the state may also be impacted, as these enrollment flexibilities are available to active-duty service members that work at reserve units, as military recruiters, and as Reserve Officer Training Corps instructors.
In Ohio, active-duty military families have two enrollment options to reduce barriers and improve educational options:
Open Enrollment
Effective April 9, 2025,
Ohio law requires that all public school districts, regardless of their
open enrollment policy, accept students for open enrollment if their parent or guardian is an active military member stationed in Ohio. If the student's parent or guardian is discharged or released from active duty and the enrolling district has an open enrollment policy for students from adjacent districts, the student may remain enrolled in the district for the remainder of the school year.
Advanced Enrollment
To ease the transition for children of active-duty military members who move due to change of station orders,
state law allows districts and schools to further reduce barriers to enrollment by waiving the proof of residency requirement. When a family of an active-duty military member moves to a different school or district, they can enroll their student before having proof of residency paperwork.
Ohio law requires that schools and districts enroll military-connected students even if the family moves after the enrollment period ends. Active-duty service members may receive change of station orders at any time, and enrollment flexibility ensures that families have an easier transition to a new school and district.
To support relocating families of active-duty military service members, schools and districts should:
- Allow military-connected families to apply for enrollment in the same manner as other families who enrolled their students during the enrollment period.
- Accept online enrollment applications from military-connected families, including enrollment in a specific school or program within the school district.
- Accept proof of residency once a family of an active-duty service member establishes residence in a school district, within 10 days of establishing residence. Acceptable forms of proof of residence include:
- Temporary on-base billeting (housing);
- Purchased or leased homes or apartments; or
- Federal government or public-private venture off-base housing.
- Offer military-connected students access to technology-based educational opportunities when families receive permanent change of station orders to move into or out of the district to avoid any disruption in schooling. This allows students to participate in educational programming consistently despite the transition between locations.
- Ensure timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations for students suspected of having a disability.
- Provide comparable services to students with disabilities, including Extended School Year (ESY) when applicable.
Last Modified: 3/26/2025 7:43:04 AM
