LESSONS LEARNED ADVOCATING FOR MILITARY CHILDREN DURING WARTIME AND AFTER

Rebecca I. Porter, Ph.D.Member, MCEC Science Advisory Board

The Military Child Education Coalition Mission

To ensure inclusive, quality educational experiences for all military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition.

Humble Beginnings…Circa 1996

Issues Surrounding Transitions• Secondary Education Transition Study (SETS, 2001)• Parent to Parent• Accredited Professional Development (Transition

Counselor Institute was #1 – launched 1999)• Student Programs (e.g., S2S, JS2S, Tell Me A Story) • Education of the Military Child, 21st Century (EMC-21,

2012)• Interstate compact on Educational Opportunity for Military

Children (all 50 states have passed this)

September 11, 2001• New meaning for “transition”

• Deployment, separation, reintegration• Injured, changed, or absent military parent

• MCEC response• Supporting children of the Guard and Reserve• Living in the New Normal (LINN)• Caring for Children of Veterans

Core Competencies and Common Needs

• Resilience• Connectedness• Caring, stable adult

Lessons Learned and Best Practices

• Expand your network of relationships to best serve military children

• Leverage technology and research• Stay true to your core competency and mission (ensure

inclusive, quality educational experiences for all military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition)

• Share successes and mistakes with other organizations

Opportunity to Share Best Practices and Lessons Learned