Official Site of The State of New Jersey
New Jersey is home to more than 8,000 school-aged students of military families, of which more than 1,500 are identified as students with disabilities. The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) understands the hardships often associated with the frequent moves and transitions within our military community. These moves can become even more stressful when military families have children in need of special education. The NJDOE, Office of Special Education (OSE) strives to make these transitions as smooth as possible by ensuring that all families have the tools and resources that they may need. OSE works in collaboration with local education agencies (LEAs) and military school liaisons to assist in this endeavor.
The OSE Military Support Specialist (MSS) will work directly and collaboratively with SPAN, Exceptional Family Member Program Representatives, and Military School Liaisons to help meet the needs of our students with disabilities from military families. We aim to provide families and districts with the information needed to help ensure a smooth transition for our military families into New Jersey.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst School Liaison
The School Liaison is the central point of contact for commanders, military families, and local school systems on school-related matters for grades K-12. You may reach out to the school liaison via email at 87fss.jbmdl.slo@us.af.mil. Additional information may be found on their website here.
Military One Source: Office of Special Needs
The Office of Special Needs (OSN) provides support to military family members of all ages with medical and/or educational needs. OSN develops policy and provides oversight for the Exceptional Family Member Program and the provision of special education services offered through the Defense Department. OSN collaborates with the military services to ensure families have access to the resources, services, and support they need to thrive within the military community.
NJ SPAN: Family Support 360 Center
Through this program, NJ SPAN assists active duty and retired military, National Guard, and Reserve personnel throughout NJ with infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. They assist families with:
- Developing a Family Plan to address concerns
- Assisting with access to Family Resources
- Offering training sessions on advocacy for accessing quality services, health care, and education
- Offering family-to-family emotional support and information
- Linking personnel to leadership opportunities to ensure the family voice in decisions about military assistance programs and services
NJ Department of Veterans Affairs
The mission of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is to provide trained and ready forces prepared for rapid response to a wide range of civil and military operations while providing exemplary services to citizens and Veterans of New Jersey.
Parent’s Rights in Special Education (NJ PRISE)
NJ PRISE was updated in 2023 and can be downloaded in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese.
MIC3 Training Toolkit for Parents
The webpages, publications, and videos listed in the toolkit will provide parents with a better understanding of Interstate Compacts and specifically the Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission. Each section features materials relative to that topic but it is recommended that parents familiarize themselves with all the documents listed and how the Compact is implemented in the state they are residing.
National Military Family Association PCS Checklist
Moving is never easy, but as you countdown the days to your next PCS move, use this checklist to make sure your military-connected student’s transition is as seamless as possible.
This page offers NJ-specific information pertaining to the MIC3 commission for our state.
This resources offers instant downloads of various publications from the MIC3. Various documents may also be ordered via a publication request. Documents are available in English and Spanish.
Military One Source MIC3 Information
The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission is a partnership between the Defense Department and state governments that addresses some of the educational challenges transitioning children of military families encounter. The Compact addresses the key issues encountered by military families such as eligibility, enrollment, placement, and graduation.
The goal of the Compact is to replace the widely varying policies affecting transitioning military students. The Compact leverages consistency. It uses a comprehensive approach that provides a consistent policy in every school district and in every state that chooses to join.
Children of active-duty members of the uniformed services, National Guard and Reserve on active-duty orders, commissioned officers of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Unites States Public Health Service, and members or veterans who are medically discharged or retired for one year are eligible for assistance under the Compact.
The Compact also covers students of members who die while on active duty for a period of one year following their death.
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children was developed jointly by The Council of State Governments’ National Center for Interstate Compacts and the U.S. Department of Defense, with input from policy experts, national associations, teachers, school administrators, military families, and federal, state, and local officials. The Compact eases interstate education transition challenges encountered by the children of active duty service members such as enrollment, eligibility, placement and graduation. On average, military students will attend six to nine different school systems from kindergarten to 12th grade.
NEW! Guidance for Military Families with Students in Special Education
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Click on the following link to access "Guidance for Military Families with Students in Special Education" (2024).