§ 7-1303. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
West's Annotated Code of MarylandEducationEffective: July 1, 2009
Effective: July 1, 2009
MD Code, Education, § 7-1303
§ 7-1303. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
The State of Maryland and other states, hereinafter “member states”, hereby enter into an Interstate Compact, as set forth below, for the purpose of facilitating the timely enrollment and transfer of children of military families in elementary and secondary schools due to the frequent movement and deployment of their parents. This Interstate Compact shall be known and may be cited as the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.
PURPOSE
It is the purpose of this Compact to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents by:
DEFINITIONS
As used in this Compact, unless the context clearly requires a different construction:
E. “Educational records” means those official records, files, and data directly related to a student and maintained by the school or local education agency, including but not limited to records encompassing all the material kept in the student's cumulative folder such as general identifying data, records of attendance and of academic work completed, records of achievement and results of evaluative tests, health data, disciplinary status, test protocols, and individualized education programs;
F. “Extracurricular activities” means a voluntary activity sponsored by the school or local education agency or an organization sanctioned by the local education agency. Extracurricular activities include, but are not limited to, preparation for and involvement in public performances, contests, athletic competitions, demonstrations, displays, and club activities;
J. “Military installation” means a base, camp, post, 1 station, yard, center, home port facility for any ship, or other activity under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, including any leased facility that is located within any of the several states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Marianas Islands, and any other U.S. territory. Such term does not include any facility used primarily for civil works, rivers, harbor projects, or flood control projects;
M. “Rule” means a written statement by the Interstate Commission promulgated pursuant to Article XII of this Compact that is of general applicability, implements, interprets, or prescribes a policy or provision of the Compact, or an organizational, procedural, or practice requirement of the Interstate Commission, and has the force and effect of statutory law in a member state, and includes the amendment, repeal, or suspension of an existing rule;
APPLICABILITY
EDUCATIONAL RECORDS AND ENROLLMENT
A. Unofficial or “hand-carried” educational records--In the event that official educational records cannot be released to the parents for the purpose of transfer, the custodian of the records in the sending state shall prepare and furnish to the parent a complete set of unofficial educational records containing uniform information as determined by the Interstate Commission. Upon receipt of the unofficial educational records by a school in the receiving state, the school shall enroll and appropriately place the student based on the information provided in the unofficial educational records pending validation by the official educational records as quickly as possible.
B. Official educational records/transcripts--Simultaneous with the enrollment and conditional placement of the student, the school in the receiving state shall request the student's official educational record from the school in the sending state. Upon receipt of this request, the school in the sending state will process and furnish the official educational records to the school in the receiving state within 10 days or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Commission.
C. Immunizations--Compacting states shall give 30 days from the date of enrollment or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Commission, for students to obtain any immunization(s) required by the receiving state. For a series of immunizations, initial vaccinations must be obtained within 30 days or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Commission.
D. Kindergarten and first-grade entrance age--Students shall be allowed to continue their enrollment at grade level in the receiving state commensurate with their grade level (including kindergarten) from a local education agency in the sending state at the time of transition, regardless of age. A student who has satisfactorily completed the prerequisite grade level in the local education agency in the sending state shall be eligible for enrollment in the next highest grade level in the receiving state, regardless of age. A student transferring after the start of the school year in the receiving state shall enter the school in the receiving state on the student's validated level from an accredited school in the sending state.
PLACEMENT AND ATTENDANCE
A. Course placement--When the student transfers before or during the school year, the receiving state school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational courses based on the student's enrollment in the sending state school and/or educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state if the courses are offered. Course placement includes but is not limited to honors, international baccalaureate, advanced placement, vocational, technical and career pathways courses. Continuing the student's academic program from the previous school and promoting placement in academically and career challenging courses should be paramount when considering placement. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement and continued enrollment of the student in the courses.
B. Educational program placement--The receiving state school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state or participation/placement in like programs in the sending state. Such programs include, but are not limited to:
This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.
1. In compliance with the federal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400 et seq., the receiving state shall initially provide comparable services to a student with disabilities based on the student's current Individualized Education Program (IEP).
2. In compliance with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.A. Section 794, and with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. Sections 12131-12165, the receiving state shall make reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of incoming students with disabilities, subject to an existing 504 or Title II Plan, to provide the student with equal access to education. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.
E. Absence as related to deployment activities--A student whose parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined by the Compact, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted additional excused absences at the discretion of the local education agency superintendent to visit with his or her parent or legal guardian relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or guardian.
ELIGIBILITY
GRADUATION
In order to facilitate the on-time graduation of children of military families, states and local education agencies shall incorporate the following procedures:
A. Waiver requirements--Local education agency administrative officials shall waive specific courses required for graduation if similar course work has been satisfactorily completed in another local education agency or shall provide reasonable justification for denial. Should a waiver not be granted to a student who would qualify to graduate from the sending school, the local education agency shall provide an alternative means of acquiring required course work so that graduation may occur on time;
C. Transfers during senior year--Should a military student transferring at the beginning or during his or her senior year be ineligible to graduate from the receiving local education agency after all alternatives have been considered, the sending and receiving local education agencies shall ensure the receipt of a diploma from the sending local education agency if the student meets the graduation requirements of the sending local education agency. In the event that one of the states in question is not a member of this Compact, the member state shall use best efforts to facilitate the on- time graduation of the student in accordance with Sections A and B of this Article.
STATE COORDINATION
A. Each member state shall, through the creation of a state council or use of an existing body or board, provide for the coordination among its agencies of government, local education agencies, and military installations concerning the state's participation in and compliance with this Compact and Interstate Commission activities. While each member state may determine the membership of its own state council, its membership must include at least the State Superintendent of Schools, a superintendent of a school district with a high concentration of military children, a representative from a military installation, one representative each from the legislative and executive branches of government, and representatives of other offices and stakeholder groups the state council deems appropriate. A member state that does not have a school district deemed to contain a high concentration of military children may appoint a superintendent from another school district to represent local education agencies on the state council.
INTERSTATE COMMISSION ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MILITARY CHILDREN
1. Be a body corporate and joint agency of the member states and shall have all the responsibilities, powers, and duties set forth herein, and such additional powers as may be conferred upon it by a subsequent concurrent action of the respective legislatures of the member states in accordance with the terms of this Compact; and
1. Consist of ex officio, nonvoting representatives who are members of interested organizations. Such ex officio members, as defined in the bylaws, may include but not be limited to, members of the representative organizations of military family advocates, local education agency officials, parent and teacher groups, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Education Commission of the States, the Interstate Agreement on the Qualification of Educational Personnel, and other interstate compacts affecting the education of children of military members;
3. Establish an executive committee, whose members shall include the officers of the Interstate Commission and such other members of the Interstate Commission as determined by the bylaws. Members of the executive committee shall serve a 1-year term. Members of the executive committee shall be entitled to one vote each. The executive committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the Interstate Commission, with the exception of rulemaking, during periods when the Interstate Commission is not in session. The executive committee shall oversee the day-to-day activities of the administration of the Compact including enforcement and compliance with the provisions of the Compact, its bylaws and rules, and other such duties as deemed necessary. The U.S. Department of Defense shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the executive committee;
4. Establish bylaws and rules that provide for conditions and procedures under which the Interstate Commission shall make its information and official records available to the public for inspection or copying. The Interstate Commission may exempt from disclosure information or official records to the extent they would adversely affect personal privacy rights or proprietary interests;
5. Give public notice of all meetings and all meetings shall be open to the public, except as set forth in the rules or as otherwise provided in the Compact. The Interstate Commission and its committees may close a meeting, or portion thereof, where it determines by two-thirds vote that an open meeting would be likely to:
6. Cause its legal counsel or designee to certify that a meeting may be closed and shall reference each relevant exemptible provision for any meeting, or portion of a meeting, that is closed pursuant to this provision. The Interstate Commission shall keep minutes that shall fully and clearly describe all matters discussed in a meeting and shall provide a full and accurate summary of actions taken, and the reasons therefor, including a description of the views expressed and the record of a roll call vote. All documents considered in connection with an action shall be identified in such minutes. All minutes and documents of a closed meeting shall remain under seal, subject to release by a majority vote of the Interstate Commission;
7. Collect standardized data when possible concerning the educational transition of the children of military families under this Compact as directed through its rules that shall specify the data to be collected, the means of collection, and data exchange and reporting requirements. Such methods of data collection, exchange, and reporting shall, in so far as is reasonably possible, conform to current technology and coordinate its information functions with the appropriate custodian of records as identified in the bylaws and rules; and
8. Create a process that permits military officials, education officials, and parents to inform the Interstate Commission if and when there are alleged violations of the Compact or its rules or when issues subject to the jurisdiction of the Compact or its rules are not addressed by the state or local education agency. This section shall not be construed to create a private right of action against the Interstate Commission or any member state.
POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION
The Interstate Commission shall have the following powers:
I. To elect or appoint such officers, attorneys, employees, agents, or consultants, and to fix their compensation, define their duties, determine their qualifications, and to establish the Interstate Commission's personnel policies and programs relating to conflicts of interest, rates of compensation, and qualifications of personnel;
ORGANIZATION AND OPERATION OF THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION
B. The Interstate Commission shall, by a majority of the members, elect annually from among its members a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a treasurer, each of whom shall have such authority and duties as may be specified in the bylaws. The chairperson or, in the chairperson's absence or disability, the vice-chairperson, shall preside at all meetings of the Interstate Commission. The officers so elected shall serve without compensation or remuneration from the Interstate Commission, provided that, subject to the availability of budgeted funds, the officers shall be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary costs and expenses incurred by them in the performance of their responsibilities as officers of the Interstate Commission.
2. The executive committee may, subject to the approval of the Interstate Commission, appoint or retain an executive director for such period, upon such terms and conditions and for such compensation, as the Interstate Commission may deem appropriate. The executive director shall serve as secretary to the Interstate Commission, but shall not be a member of the Interstate Commission. The executive director shall hire and supervise such other persons as may be authorized by the Interstate Commission.
D. The Interstate Commission's executive director and its employees shall be immune from suit and liability, either personally or in their official capacity, for a claim for damage to or loss of property or personal injury or other civil liability caused or arising out of or relating to an actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred, or that such person had a reasonable basis for believing occurred, within the scope of Interstate Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, provided that such person shall not be protected from suit or liability for damage, loss, injury, or liability caused by the intentional or willful and wanton misconduct of such person.
1. The liability of the Interstate Commission's executive director and employees or Interstate Commission representatives, acting within the scope of such person's employment or duties for acts, errors, or omissions occurring within such person's state may not exceed the limits of liability set forth under the constitution and laws of that state for state officials, employees, and agents. The Interstate Commission is considered to be an instrumentality of the states for the purposes of any such action. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to protect such person from suit or liability for damage, loss, injury, or liability caused by the intentional or willful and wanton misconduct of such person.
2. The Interstate Commission shall defend the executive director and its employees and, subject to the approval of the Attorney General or other appropriate legal counsel of the member state represented by an Interstate Commission representative, shall defend such Interstate Commission representative in any civil action seeking to impose liability arising out of an actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of Interstate Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that the defendant had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Interstate Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, provided that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from intentional or willful and wanton misconduct on the part of such person.
3. To the extent not covered by the state involved, member state, or the Interstate Commission, the representatives or employees of the Interstate Commission shall be held harmless in the amount of a settlement or judgment, including attorney's fees and costs, obtained against such persons arising out of an actual or alleged act, error, or omission that occurred within the scope of Interstate Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, or that such persons had a reasonable basis for believing occurred within the scope of Interstate Commission employment, duties, or responsibilities, provided that the actual or alleged act, error, or omission did not result from intentional or willful and wanton misconduct on the part of such persons.
RULEMAKING FUNCTIONS OF THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION
A. Rulemaking Authority. The Interstate Commission shall promulgate reasonable rules in order to effectively and efficiently achieve the purposes of this Compact. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the Interstate Commission exercises its rulemaking authority in a manner that is beyond the scope of the purposes of this Act, or the powers granted hereunder, then such an action by the Interstate Commission shall be invalid and have no force and effect.
C. Judicial Review. Not later than 30 days after a rule is promulgated, any person may file a petition for judicial review of the rule, provided that the filing of such a petition shall not stay or otherwise prevent the rule from becoming effective unless the court finds that the petitioner has a substantial likelihood of success. The court shall give deference to the actions of the Interstate Commission consistent with applicable law and shall not find the rule to be unlawful if the rule represents a reasonable exercise of the Interstate Commission's authority.
OVERSIGHT, ENFORCEMENT, AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
1. The executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government in each member state shall enforce this Compact and shall take all actions necessary and appropriate to effectuate the Compact's purposes and intent. The provisions of this Compact and the rules promulgated hereunder shall have standing as statutory law.
3. The Interstate Commission shall be entitled to receive all service of process in any such proceeding and shall have standing to intervene in the proceeding for all purposes. Failure to provide service of process to the Interstate Commission shall render a judgment or order void as to the Interstate Commission, this Compact, or its promulgated rules.
C. If the defaulting state fails to cure the default, the defaulting state shall be terminated from the Compact upon an affirmative vote of a majority of the member states and all rights, privileges, and benefits conferred by this Compact shall be terminated from the effective date of termination. A cure of the default does not relieve the offending state of obligations or liabilities incurred during the period of the default.
D. Suspension or termination of membership in the Compact shall be imposed only after all other means of securing compliance have been exhausted. Notice of intent to suspend or terminate shall be given by the Interstate Commission to the Governor, the majority and minority leaders of the defaulting state's legislature, and each of the member states.
G. The defaulting state may appeal the action of the Interstate Commission by petitioning the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia or the federal district where the Interstate Commission has its principal offices. The prevailing party shall be awarded all costs of such litigation including reasonable attorney's fees.
2. The Interstate Commission may, by majority vote of the members, initiate legal action in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia or, at the discretion of the Interstate Commission, in the federal district where the Interstate Commission has its principal offices, to enforce compliance with the provisions of the Compact and its promulgated rules and bylaws, against a member state in default. The relief sought may include both injunctive relief and damages. In the event judicial enforcement is necessary the prevailing party shall be awarded all costs of such litigation including reasonable attorney's fees.
FINANCING OF THE INTERSTATE COMMISSION
B. The Interstate Commission may levy and collect an annual assessment from each member state to cover the cost of the operations and activities of the Interstate Commission and its staff that must be in a total amount sufficient to cover the Interstate Commission's annual budget as approved each year. The aggregate annual assessment amount shall be allocated based upon a formula to be determined by the Interstate Commission, which shall promulgate a rule binding upon all member states.
D. The Interstate Commission shall keep accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements. The receipts and disbursements of the Interstate Commission shall be subject to the audit and accounting procedures established under its bylaws. However, all receipts and disbursements of funds handled by the Interstate Commission shall be audited yearly by a certified or licensed public accountant and the report of the audit shall be included in and become part of the annual report of the Interstate Commission.
MEMBER STATES, EFFECTIVE DATE AND AMENDMENT
B. The Compact shall become effective and binding upon legislative enactment of the Compact into law by no less than ten of the states. The effective date shall be no earlier than December 1, 2007. Thereafter it shall become effective and binding as to any other member state upon enactment of the Compact into law by that state. The governors of nonmember states or their designees shall be invited to participate in the activities of the Interstate Commission on a nonvoting basis prior to adoption of the Compact by all states.
WITHDRAWAL AND DISSOLUTION
2. Withdrawal from this Compact shall be by the enactment of a statute repealing the same, but shall not take effect until 1 year after the effective date of such statute and until written notice of the withdrawal has been given by the withdrawing state to the Governor of each other member jurisdiction.
3. The withdrawing state shall immediately notify the chairperson of the Interstate Commission in writing upon the introduction of legislation repealing this Compact in the withdrawing state. The Interstate Commission shall notify the other member states of the withdrawing state's intent to withdraw within 60 days of its receipt thereof.
SEVERABILITY AND CONSTRUCTION
BINDING EFFECT OF COMPACT AND OTHER LAWS
Credits
Added by Acts 2009, c. 501, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2009, c. 502, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009.
MD Code, Education, § 7-1303, MD EDUC § 7-1303
Current through legislation effective through May 9, 2024, from the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly. Some statute sections may be more current, see credits for details.
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