SACRAMENTO – Assembly Member Lori Saldaña (D-San Diego) has introduced a measure, Assembly Bill 1809, that would include California in an interstate compact establishing uniform standards for military children transferring between school districts and states.

Saldaña said that military families encounter significant school challenges when dealing with enrollment, eligibility, placement and graduation requirements when transferring between schools.

“The average school-age military dependant transfers seven times in the course of their school career,” she said. “They may have to take additional classes and their graduation might be delayed when their course credits don’t carry over between states.”

“This measure would ease the transition between schools and reduce stress for the families by creating uniform expectations for the students.”

There are over 63,000 school-age military dependants in California. About 25 percent lose their course credits due to multiple school transfers from out-of-state and out-of-country Department of Defense schools to California schools.

The legislatures of Missouri, Washington, Delaware, Virginia, and Kentucky have also introduced legislation to become parties to the compact. About 18 other states have also signaled their intention to do the same. 

Saldaña, who is a member of the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, passed legislation in 2006 to address similar requirement discrepancies between school districts within California.