(The Lion) – Homeschooling can help strengthen national security, argue lawmakers introducing a proposal to streamline this educational process for military families moving across state lines.
“Parents serving this country should not be penalized simply because the military asked them to move,” said Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-North Carolina, in a June 16 statement. “Military families live with enough uncertainty. Every permanent change of station brings a new set of challenges, and a child’s education should not be one of them.”
As a result, the Continuity of Military Parents’ Academic Schooling and State Standards (COMPASS) Act would amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to allow families greater flexibility in homeschooling.
They could choose to follow the homeschool laws either of their state of residence or the state where their new duty station is located, according to Military Times.
“The SCRA already protects service members from being ‘whipsawed’ by conflicting state laws on taxes, voting and driver’s licenses, according to a statement from Harrigan’s office. ‘There is no reason homeschooling should be treated differently.’”
‘Conflicting state homeschooling laws can undermine military readiness’
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“Military families homeschool their children at roughly twice the rate of civilian families,” Cruz said in Harrigan’s statement. “Conflicting state homeschooling laws can undermine military readiness, family resilience, and retention by forcing servicemembers and their spouses to navigate different requirements each time the Department of Defense relocates them.”
Homeschool advocates praised the legislative update, noting it will remove “one more source of stress and paperwork,” according to Harrigan’s statement.
“Military families have long enjoyed the benefits that homeschooling offers, particularly given their high rate of moves,” said Home School Legal Defense Association President James R. Mason, a retired lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy.
Lexi Kranich, Harrigan’s communications director, explained some of the challenges faced by military families during Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders taking households to different states.
For example, orders given in the middle of the school year can force families to learn an “entirely new set of homeschooling requirements” in addition to other logistical challenges, she told Military Times.
“The office has also heard from families who maintained detailed records and portfolios for years, only to find that the new state requires different documentation or standards to evaluate student progress.”
As previously reported by The Lion, active-duty military families were homeschooling at double the rate of the civilian population even before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Military homeschool families often navigate multiple moves throughout a child’s education, creating challenges as they transition between different state homeschool laws and requirements,” said Natalie Mack, founder and executive director of the Military Homeschoolers Association. “The COMPASS Act offers a practical solution that reduces unnecessary administrative burdens, promotes educational continuity, and recognizes the unique realities of military service while preserving parental choice.”
