Veterans Day Feature: Supports for Military Connected Students With IEPs
By: Dr. Gabrielle Baker, President & Advocate
Military connected students often face unique challenges that impact their educational experience, especially when frequent moves, deployments, or transitions affect stability and continuity. For students with IEPs, these challenges can be even more significant because special education services, evaluations, and programming vary from state to state. Understanding how to protect your child’s rights and ensure a smooth transition is essential.
Families should make sure they have a complete and up to date copy of their child’s IEP, recent evaluations, service logs, progress monitoring, and any behavior or medical plans before moving. The receiving school is required to provide comparable services until they either adopt the existing IEP or convene a new IEP team meeting. Parents can request this meeting immediately if changes are needed.
Military connected families should also be aware of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which helps address gaps in enrollment, placement, and attendance for children of active duty service members. Although the Compact cannot override IDEA, it can support smoother transitions and faster access to appropriate programming.
Common supports that help military connected students with IEPs include counseling, transition plans, social emotional supports, help adjusting to new routines, and clear communication between sending and receiving schools. Parents should also ask about access to mental health supports, tutoring, and small group instruction if the student is struggling after a move.
The key is advocating early and keeping communication open. Military connected families have legal protections, and schools must ensure the student’s IEP is implemented from day one. By keeping strong documentation and requesting timely meetings, families can help ensure continuity in services and support their child’s success during every transition.
