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Governor Tate Reeves has signed two executive orders. One establishes a council for service men and women living on military bases in the state to converse with lawmakers and potentially improve their quality of living. And Governor Reeves says the second order creates a program in schools to help the approximately 7 thousand children of active military families living in Mississippi who must often move during their parent’s time in service.
“A school that bears the military star will let families know that Mississippi schools will not only give their children the educational skills to be life, college and ultimately workforce ready. But this school also supports their wellbeing as the child of a military-connected family.”
The program will operate under the Department of Education, and to qualify a school must meet several criteria: designate a staff member as military ambassador, make resources available on school websites, maintain a transitioning program, and offer training to teachers and staff on the issues facing military students. State Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright says the ambassadors at a school can help make these major life transitions easier for students.
“Those kinds of documentations that need to go back and forth are handled in a very fast manner. I think that’s the one thing we want to make sure, that they’re coming in. They’re feeling welcomed, they’re in an environment they feel is safe and sound, and that their families are also feeling welcomed and realizing that that communication has got to start from the moment that we know the children are coming in.”
Military advocates say there are roughly 20 thousand children of military families living in the state when accounting for national guard and reserve officers. Children of active service families will likely change schools six to nine times during their education according to the Department of Defense.
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