Enrolling New Students in Active-Duty Military Families
To ease the transition for children of active-duty military members who move due to change of station orders,
state law now 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.
Future Forward Ohio, Ohio's strategic priorities, calls for overcoming obstacles to learning. Students in military families are often highly mobile and have unique needs that schools and districts should consider. Ohio’s new law ensures that military-connected youth are
supported by easing and expediting their transition into a new school environment.
Ohio law now requires that schools and districts enroll military-connected students even if the family moves after the enrollment period ends. Active-duty uniformed 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 ten (10) days of establishing residence. Acceptable forms of proof-of-residence include:
- Temporary on-base billeting (housing);
- A purchased or leased home or apartment; 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 the district or out of the district to avoid any disruption in schooling. This will allow 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.
Schools and districts that service Ohio’s military installation,
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, are most impacted by this new enrollment flexibility.
Last Modified: 11/30/2023 12:24:42 PM