FAQs

NSA Mid-South School Liaison FAQs

School Transition Services

How do I dis-enroll my child from school?

Over the holidays is a busy time for schools as many current students transfer to new locations. Requesting unofficial records from the school’s office at least 10 business days prior to transferring will allow enough time for the school to make copies. Also, student obligations must be cleared before the release packet is given to the parent/guardian. This includes the following: return of technology, library books, textbooks, and other educational materials, payment for lost or damaged materials, and lunch account must be cleared.

Informing the front office at least 10 business day prior to leaving will ensure a smooth transition from the current school to the receiving school.

How do I request a transfer request?

Most area schools have a controlled open-enrollment period where families can request a student transfer. Submitting a transfer request does not guarantee enrollment. The decision is ultimately at the school's discretion. Below are the school links and typical open enrollment window periods. Contact your School Liaison to learn more about application window extension policies.

Millington Municipal Schools:

Arlington Community Schools: February 1 - February 28

Bartlett City Schools: February 1 - March 10

Collierville Schools: January 25 - February 29

Germantown Municipal School District: January 23 - February 21

Lakeland School System: Does not accept out of district student transfers at this time

Memphis Shelby County Schools: Rolling admissions with priority given to application submitted by February 6

Tipton County Schools: April 1 - April 30

How do I request before and after school care?

Navy families may visit www.militarychildcare.com to find comprehensive information on child care programs worldwide, conduct a customized search for the care you need and submit a request for care at any time and from any location. Transportation to and from the School Age Care program on NSA Mid-South is provided by the district to students who attend Millington Municipal Schools.

Millington Municipal Schools Y-Care

Arlington Community Schools Y-Care

Lakeland School System Extended Activities Program

Tipton County School Age Care

Most School Districts in the surrounding area have After School Care options for families. Visit the school's website to learn more.

How old does my child have to be to start Kindergarten?

In Tennessee, children must be 5 years old on or before August 15 to be eligible to enroll in Kindergarten. Exceptions are made, under MIC3, for Kindergarten students who have PCS'd to NSA Mid-South and were already enrolled in Kindergarten at a U.S. public or DoDEA school. Contact your School Liaison to learn more about MIC3 provisions in place to support transitioning military students.

My child is ready to transition out of the CDC and I need to register my child for Kindergarten, how do I do that?

Parents can attend a Kindergarten Transition Brief that is offered at their CDC. The brief provides information such as eligibility, enrollment requirements, school options, checklists, and resources. The Naval Support Activity Mid-South School Liaison also provides this service to families on an individual basis, if needed.

We are PCSing to NSA Mid-South this summer and the schools are closed. We have several questions that need to be answered. Who do we contact?

The first step is to look online at the district and school webpages. There you will find answers to most of your questions. If you need more information, the School Liaison works year-round and is available to answer your questions throughout the summer. The School Liaison can support with parent-school communications during summer break.

What are the pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade age requirements?

For Kindergarten, children must turn five (5) on or before August 15 to be eligible. Parents are encouraged to visit their zoned school district's website to learn of their Kindergarten enrollment process. Information regarding enrollment, for the upcoming school year, typically becomes available in the Spring.

What do I do if I’m moving with a child with special needs?

In the Navy, your School Liaison can help you with the special needs navigation of the school or district that you are planning to send your child(ren) to. You should also contact the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) to ensure that you are enrolled and that you have all information and resources that they offer.

What do I do if I’m on a housing waitlist or am in temporary housing?

Most military housing areas and school districts within school boundaries of military housing are familiar with this situation. We recommend that you request a DD1747 from the Navy Housing Service Center stating that you have been approved for base housing. Districts allow families to submit a copy of their tentative lease or mortgage agreement within 30 calendar days of enrollment if the family does not live in military housing. Most times this is all the schools need to proceed with registration. If you have questions or issues, please contact your SL.

What is a School Liaison and how can they help me?

School Liaison (SL) help by providing you with educational information on your new area (based on residence) and connect you with an SL in your next duty station if you are leaving NRSE. SLs also offer resources on deployment support, are the liaison between command, schools and military families, work with commands and schools on the Partnership in Education program, can help families navigate the special needs programs in districts, and offer information and support for Homeschool and Post-Secondary preparation.

What is the Interstate Compact and what can it do for my family?

The Interstate Compact seeks to make transitions easier for the children of military families so that they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and are not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. More information can be found at:?www.mic3.net. The School Liaison is a parent's first line of support in solving Interstate Compact issues at the lowest level. In the majority of cases, the School Liaison can help solve the problem. In the few instances that they cannot, there are higher levels of support for families through the MIC3 State Commissioner. Families should always start with contacting the School Liaison.

Deployment Support

What deployment supports are in place for students (and their parents)?

Anchored4Life (A4L) is offered to students at 1 the Mid-South CYP Youth Center. A4L is a transition and resiliency program and deployment kits and activities are offered to students that participate. The NSA Mid-South Child Development Center and Youth Center have a Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC) that offers FREE individual counseling, as well as group counseling to students for deployment support. Deployment club, military kids club, and friendship club are just a few of the options that military students can participate in. In addition, the School Liaison has a list of deployment resources for families who reach out for support.

Command, School, Community Communications

What are Federal Impact Aid Survey Cards and why are they important?

At the beginning of every new school year the Federal Impact Aid Survey Cards will be sent home to every student in the district. A separate card must be completed and returned for each child. These completed cards will result in more federal money to help reimburse the Tennessee Department of Education for the cost of educating federally connected (military and DoD civilian) children whose families do not pay Mississippi state taxes. This will mean more resources for the schools and ultimately military-connected children. These funds help to pay for things such as text books, technology, and substitute teachers which can impact our military-connected child’s learning. Your information is not going to be shared with anyone outside the state and federal government, and the money for the school districts comes directly from the Department of Education and is based on the number of military-connected children educated by the state.

What is the Military Student Identifier (MSI) seen on school registration forms? Why is it important?

The Military Student Identifier (MSI) is a datapoint established as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015. The stated purpose of ESSA is to “improve academic achievement of the disadvantaged.” This starts by identifying students from vulnerable segments of the population. Military children were identified, due to their struggles with disrupted learning and social-emotional struggles as a result of frequent moves.

This MSI data relies upon military-connected families to self-report military directly to their schools annually.

Now that states are required to collect and report assessment data for military-connected students teachers, administrators and schools will finally have a better, clearer picture of these students’ challenges and where they might need additional supports. Through identification, schools can better serve and support the needs of military-connected students.

Homeschool Linkage and Support

What are the state’s homeschool requirements?

Parents and legal guardians can educate their child from home in three ways:

Independent Home School: State law allows parents or legal guardians to register with the local school system as an independent home school. The parent is the teacher of record and is responsible for meeting the requirements for an independent home school.
Church-Related “Umbrella” Non-Public School: Some approved non-public (private) schools operate home school “umbrella” programs that allow parents or legal guardians to participate as a parent-teacher in the school under the supervision of the school’s director.
Accredited Online Non-Public School: These non-public (private) schools are approved through a regional accrediting agency as permitted by Tennessee’s State Board of Education (SBE). Students enrolled in an accredited online school attend classes remotely from home.

For more information visit Tennessee Department of Education Home Schools.

Homeschooling Legal Defense Association, www.hslda.org, is a non-profit advocacy organization available to help you make sense of the laws and understand your legal homeschooling rights.

For homeschool events hosted by our program, please contact NSA Mid-South Liaison.

What supports are in place for my K-12 homeschool students?

The School Liaison is available to provide families interested in homeschooling their child(ren) with Tennessee state policies and regulations and can connect new families with established homeschool groups in the local community.

Partnerships in Education (PIE)

How are Navy commands providing support in the local schools?

Sailors are volunteering in the local schools by providing support for Back-to-School events, academic ceremonies, Veteran's Day events, fall festivals, Career Day events, Friday Family Fun nights, and other special events. Sailors enjoy providing community service to the local schools and have provided years of support to Mid-South area schools.

What partnership opportunities are available to my command?

If your command is looking for a Community Relations (COMREL) opportunity, contact the School Liaison. The School Liaison always has opportunities for sailors to volunteer in the local schools. The ways to volunteer are endless.

Post-Secondary Preparation

I have the Post 9/11 GI Bill benefit and I’d like to transfer it to my child. Can I do that?

Transferability of the Post 9/11 GI Bill is a retention tool and in order to find out if you are eligible to transfer it, you must contact the VA. The School Liaison can provide you with the contact information. Additional information can be found at:?www.GIBill.va.gov

My child is eligible to begin drawing from their Chapter 35 benefits before they graduate high school. What steps should families take?

Families must contact their local VA Benefits office to discuss their benefits. You may access the VA Benefits Office Directory here.

Special Needs System Navigation

Are there gifted education services in the local school districts?

To learn more about Gifted Education in Tennessee click here.

For more information, please contact the School Liaison.

My child has an IEP and I need an advocate. Can the SL?advocate?

The School Liaison is a liaison between the school and the military and cannot be an advocate for a family. There are other organizations that can, and the SL?can refer to those organizations. The SL’s role is to assist families in navigating the special education system within the school district and to assist with connecting you to the right people at the school or district office. The SL?can also connect you to military resources that are available.

My child is 3 years old and I suspect there are delays that require early intervention. What should I do?

You must first contact the Student Services Department at your neighborhood School District. There are five basic steps to become familiar with in the special education process:

Referral or request for evaluation
Evaluation
Eligibility determination
Individualized Educational Program (IEP) development
Progress Monitoring and IEP review

You must request information on Child Find and schedule an appointment to partake in the evaluation. If the child meets eligibility requirements, the school district will provide early intervention services.

Families currently enrolled in Tennessee's Early Intervention System (Birth to 3) program should work with their child's Case Manager to plan transition services.