Local U.S. Army SETS Signatories

The US Army Secondary Education Transition Study is an in-depth, qualitative research study conducted over a two year period and published in early 2001. It identified issues that military-connected high school students face as they transition through different school settings – because they move, on average, three times more often than non-military students. The resulting recommendations were the basis for establishing the precedent setting Memorandum of Agreement for participating school systems to adopt reciprocal practices to help level the playing field for transitioning military students.

The Memorandum of Agreement came directly from the US Army’s Secondary Education Transition Study findings. A team of school superintendents, school board members and commanders from the study’s nine locations crafted the original document. The Agreement, which is between and among school systems that support military families worldwide, provides a common structure for information sharing and reciprocal processes. Currently, over 200 such school systems have signed the Agreement and have committed to developing or improving systems for transition predictability for military-connected and other highly mobile students.

The Memorandum of Agreement addresses the academic challenges and social and emotional struggles that frequently characterize school-to-school transitions. It is a worldwide, scholarly network of school districts working to solve difficult transition issues for military-connected children and youth. The military is a stakeholder in the Agreement. Military Commanders may sign the Agreement along with Superintendents, but neither the Commanders nor military organizations are actual signatories. It’s an Agreement between school districts.

The Agreement is the official mechanism used by the US Army to support school districts in addressing student mobility issues. It fosters new partnerships and strengthens existing ones between school districts and garrisons. The recommended best and promising educational practices help all students, including non-military and non-mobile students. The goal is to have all school districts that serve military-connected students become signatories.

Signatories of the network accept the nine Guiding Principles as specified in the Agreement. The districts are expected to review their current practices as well as the 35 suggested educational practices of the Agreement. The US Army recognizes that school systems are autonomous and democratic; implementation of best and promising practices is at the school’s discretion. There are no specific ongoing requirements because the level of participation is determined by the school district. As a signatory, the district would be invited to participate in activities such as development of local action plans with other districts and the garrison, attendance at trainings and meetings, and communication of their best practices to other signatories. Installation School Liaison Officers work directly with school districts and families to coordinate school transitions and activities related to the Agreement. Districts are encouraged to monitor their own school transition program. There is no outside evaluation, unless requested by the school district.

Trainings and other initiatives provided by the Military Child Education Coalition are offered to school and military personnel. Examples of these are the Transition Counselor Institute, Special Education Leader Institute and the Student-2-Student training. School counselors, administrators, parents, students and military personnel have expressed a high level of confidence with these and many other initiatives developed through the Military Child Education Coalition.

Currently there is over 240 SETS MOA signatories across the United States and Internationally. Geneseo School District became the first SETS MOA in Illinois after signing the MOA on June 8, 2006. Davenport School District became the first in Iowa and the second school district to sign around the RIA on June 13, 2006. Moline (IL) became the third on July 10th, 2006. The Rock Island/Milan School District (IL) became the fourth July 25, 2006. Bettendorf (IA) and Pleasant Valley (IA) signed in August and November, respectively.