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Is Common Core Good for Military Kids?

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Military families move a lot. A Permanent Change of Station (PCS) becomes a rite of passage for us and is an inevitable occurrence for military members. The statistics are out there. We move on average every 2 and a half years, which can add up to about 7 moves for a military child in grade school.

In the course of 5 years, I attended 4 different schools growing up as a military child in 2 different countries and 3 different locations.

I remember the struggle with figuring out where I belonged, especially with my mid-school year move. The things I worried about, however, were more like, “how do I fit in with everyone else?” instead of, “how is the school curriculum?”

I did realize I had either some catching up or lull time with learning. Who knows if that was actually the best for me?

Is Common Core Good for Military Kids?

Since military children attend many different schools in different states, will the national Common Core Standard benefit their education?

My last school was off-base in a civilian neighborhood, where I didn’t know any military kids. Luckily, I was able to finish out my grade school in one location from then on – with sacrifice though. My dad would get stationed elsewhere, but my mom and I stayed. That’s a long story for another day.

One of the main reasons for my father being a geographic bachelor or geo-bachelor was the fact I was thriving at school and my parents didn’t want to disrupt the process. By the time a big move came up, I was approaching high school and my father was at the end of his military career, so it made sense. My dad wanted to retire in Texas and we made the 2 years apart work.

Not every military family shares our story and moving occurs at so many different points for us all, which is why Common Core is interesting to military families with school-age children as well as military educators.

The Common Core Standard is an initiative created by multiple state education chiefs and governors. The adopters of Common Core recognized the importance of establishing a precedent for young learners to gain knowledge to help them with college and career.

In addition, there are several states already in agreement with the benefits of the program, which provides uniformity that could strongly benefit military children in particular. Common Core acts as a bridge to keep curriculum similar, so no matter where a military child moves, they would be at the same point in their educational journey.

So far, 42 states in addition to the District of Columbia have or will be incorporating Common Core standards in their schools. According to the Military Times,

DoDEA is in the process of transitioning to Common Core, which it calls ‘College and Career Ready Standards,’ over the next 5 years.

Despite praise from some military families, the Common Core standard is also met with controversy from vocal opponents. Several critics say that implementing Common Core doesn’t necessarily improve overall testing. A big drawback from Common Core is that states would get less control over the curriculum since it would be something they agree to incorporate. As a result, some states have edited their take on Common Core or even rescind their claim.

The big question military families have about Common Core is will this curriculum be good for my child.

I encourage you to take a deeper look at the Common Core website to form your own opinion. Of course, if you’ve seen it in action, I’m curious to hear your thoughts too.

Now it’s your turn: Do you think Common Core is beneficial to military kids? Why or why not?

Why More Military Families Are Home Schooling

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Home schooling is becoming more and more popular these days. This is even more true in military families.

Why More Military Families Are Home Schooling

By home schooling you can create the type of school you want for your children.

As parents try to figure out what is best for their child, they are turning to home schooling in order to make things a little easier for their children. They know military life is stressful enough and want to make sure they can create a stable school experience as they are growing up.

I have met many home schooling families during my time as a military spouse and one thing is true for all of them.

Home schooling makes their military lives a little easier.

Whether that is because of all the moving or being able to plan a trip or vacation whenever they need to do so.

Everyone knows that military families move often. On average, military families move every 3 years. That means that some kids could end up attending 3 or 4 schools before they even get into junior high. It’s no wonder that some military families are thinking about home schooling instead.

By home schooling your child you can avoid having to have them be the “new kid” time after time. If you have to move in the middle of the school year, you don’t have to worry about that disrupting their education. Military family schedules need to be flexible so home schooling allows you to make school just as flexible.

When children have to move a lot, their grades can decline and have trouble catching up. Friendships can be more difficult and finding their new place can be difficult.  Whether you home school or not your children will have to find new friends, but not having to find new friends at school right away too can take some of the pressure off.

Being in a new school without friends can be quite difficult.

If you have ever moved schools before you know that there can be a big difference between what they teach and expect from the kids. Even if they are in the same grade. Another positive for home schooling is that your kids don’t have to experience any of that. You won’t have to struggle with a school in order to make sure your kids are on track. You will take care of all of that yourself.

If you want to take your kids to grandma’s house in October because that is when your spouse has a month of leave, you can do so and bring school with you. Taking off like that wouldn’t be possible when they are in a traditional school. This is a big plus to those who home school while in the military as they don’t have to worry if they want to take their kids out of school for an extended period of time. This also will allow you to take your kids home during a deployment and not have to worry about the local school system.

The great news about being a military family who is home schooling is that there is usually a lot of support for those who home school on base or even in your local community. There are a lot of other parents to connect with, make plans with and work together with to create a good community with your kids.

You will not be alone as a home schooling military family.

By home schooling you can create the type of school you want for your children. You can give them consistency and you don’t have to worry about having to move them in the middle of the school year. You can plan around your military member’s schedule and you can create a better home life for your children. Home schooling isn’t for everyone but choosing this option can be a big benefit to a lot of military families.

Do you home school your children? Why did you decide to home school them?

Why His Deployment Is the Right Time to Earn Your College Degree

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Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

Your service member’s deployment may be right time for you to start taking college classes.

You’ve been thinking about going back to school for a while now and your spouse just deployed. What are you waiting for?

Deployment is a great time to earn a college degree.

We’re all busy with family, work, volunteering and just life in general, which can put higher education on the back burner. If getting a degree truly is important to you, don’t put it off any longer.

Ask yourself a few questions and follow these tips to start working toward a college degree while your service member is away.

What type of learning environment suits your needs best?

Start by deciding if you would benefit most by going to a traditional college, an online program or a school that offers both in person and online classes. Is it feasible to make the commute to campus? Are you disciplined enough to take classes online and study on your own? What kind of experience are you looking for? Some people thrive in the classroom interacting with the professor and other students while some prefer to do it all on their own.

Do you want to go to a two-year or four-year college?

Community colleges offer associate degrees through a two-year program. Many students start at these schools, because they cost less and then transition to a four-year school to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Research colleges thoroughly.

Don’t limit your options to the college closest to you or exclude one you think might be too expensive. You might miss a great school that way. Widen your search and see what each school has to offer then you can determine if it is a match for what you want. Make sure the college you choose offers the program you want in the timeline you are looking for.

Browse through the school’s alumni directory to see what graduates have done with their degrees. Are there many listed in the field you are interested in? Read the school’s testimonies and search social media to see students’ perceptions of the college.

Decide on a major.

While you don’t need to decide on a major before you begin classes, it is helpful to have an idea of the area in which you want to pursue. You can take a few classes without declaring a major or simply register for general studies and many students change their majors multiple times.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

College is expensive. Don’t forget to apply for scholarships for military spouses.

One thing to consider though, you may end up taking extra classes, which means your college degree could take longer to attain and you will be spending more money.

Look for scholarships.

College is expensive, but you don’t have to foot the whole bill. There are thousands of scholarships available; you just have to look for them.

I had 9 scholarships for my undergraduate years. Combined they covered everything. A friend received one scholarship that paid for everything.

Scholarships are offered in various amounts and every little bit helps. Spend some time researching college scholarships. Apply to the ones that require more work. Those with essays receive fewer entries because people don’t want to spend the time doing them.

Start volunteering with your community, if you aren’t doing so already. This is a very valuable quality to put on scholarship applications and some scholarships even require a certain number of volunteer hours. Look for scholarships that are specific to you as well. There are scholarships available strictly to military spouses.

Talk to friends, family and coworkers about their experiences.

It can be difficult to make such a big decision. Seek out help from friends by simply asking them what they liked best about their school, their college experience and how they made their decision on a school that lead them to a degree.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

What tips do you have for going back to school during a deployment?

Make a college plan.

Look at the necessary courses for the degree you have chosen. Review the class schedule ahead of time and make a plan with a timeline for completing your degree. Some classes are only offered in specific semesters. Most programs have a capstone class that must be taken in your last semester. Make sure you know when that is so you aren’t waiting an extra semester just to take that one class because you didn’t time your program correctly.

Delegate time.

Once you have decided on a college and a program, make sure you take it seriously and spend the necessary time studying. That means setting aside a specific time to study. Do your homework. Don’t waste your time and money avoiding it. Delegate your time wisely and don’t show up late for class.

Tips for Getting Your College Degree During His Deployment

Are you thinking about going to college while your service member is deployed? What questions do you have?

Enjoy your classes.

College is a wonderful thing and can be a great experience if you let it. Study hard and you will feel so rewarded when you receive your degree.

What tips do you have for going back to school during a deployment?

National Professional Licenses Would Help Working Military Spouses

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You graduated from college and got your teaching license in one state and then the military moved you to another. You want to work but you can’t. Your professional license isn’t valid in your new home state. What a frustrating situation to be in. You are trying to support your spouse and your country and you can’t even work because of a state license, a professional license that you worked hard to earn.

National Professional Licenses Would Help Working Military Spouses

How much money have you spent transferring your professional license?

Sound familiar? There are several careers that military spouses have worked hard to have but they have to give up their job because of state licensing. The process to get a new license can be complicated as well as cost you time and money.

Some states allow out-of-state licenses, others do not. The regulations can be really random and there is no national standard. This isn’t only an issue for military spouses. Civilians move to a new state for their spouses’ jobs too and run into this same type of problem.

So what is the answer? Have you faced this state licensing problem as a military spouse?

It would be great if there was a nationwide license transfer standard. Where it wouldn’t matter where you got your license and where you live in the United States because you could simply transfer your professional license without a lot of issues. Doing this would allow you to find a job in your field without having to worry that you don’t have the right license. This change would make life a lot easier for military spouses who want to further their careers.

The good news is that there is a group trying to make this happen.

The Third Way is a D.C.-based Think Tank working toward an “Interstate Teaching Application.”

Each state would evaluate the person as well as their credentials. Those working as nurses, lawyers and other professions would be able to benefit from something like this too.

I know if I worked hard to get a license and start my career in one state, I would really like to continue to practice my field in another state no matter where the military might send us.

Related: 5 College Degrees Leading to Portable Careers

Life can be hard for military spouses when your career has to be put on hold. Not all spouses want to be a stay-at-home mom. There are so many spouses out there that want to continue working and can’t because of situations like this. It would be better for everyone if something could change to make it possible to easily transfer a professional license.

These changes would also encourage those who are in school or thinking about going to college to pursue one of these careers. They can continue their future careers more easily when the PCS comes. I know if I was debating a certain program, I would want to know that I could continue that career into the future, wherever we might go and whatever state the military might send us.

What do you think? Should professional licenses for nurses, teachers and lawyers be accepted nationwide?

5 College Degrees Leading to Portable Careers

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A college degree is a big deal.

 

A recent article from Kiplinger mentioned that an employee with a bachelor’s degree earns on average almost double the amount of money compared with a person with only a high school diploma.

Basically, that extra piece of paper makes you more competitive, more portable and more money.

Whether you had to put your education on hold or never got the chance to start, it’s important to begin the admissions (or re-admissions) process with a solid direction. Military spouses endure unique career challenges. We need to factor in PCSing, managing a household (sometimes alone) and countless other random military-related last minute craziness when choosing the right time to earn a college degree.

With that in mind, picking a major should be the first decision you make, even before researching schools. Your interest will dictate what school or program you will want to apply for. It will be a huge advantage to establish a path at the very beginning.

Start by thinking about what you see yourself doing afterward you earn your diploma. A lot of military spouses choose to study a program that would result in a portable career. It makes sense. We have a relatively mobile lifestyle, so why not pursue a curriculum that would support a portable career?

Here are 5 college majors for milspouses looking for a portable career:

  1. Management. After you graduate, a degree in management offers a whole lot of flexibility. It sets the foundation for a variety of jobs that a lot of employers seek, whatever your interest. Personally, I have friends that have pursued a sales managerial position, opened their own e-commerce store and another that used it to work admissions at a school. All jobs that are easily transferable. There are many military spouses with great ideas and this degree direction might be an excellent way to build your successful small business.
  2. Health care. From nursing to medical technicians, the heath care field offers a broad selection of degree programs. There are also options for certain professions that may not need a bachelor’s degree, only a certificate or associate’s degree, which gives this path flexibility (i.e. Registered Nurse (RN) versus a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)). Wherever you are stationed, there will most likely be a doctor’s office, hospital, dentist, rehab center, etc. Despite what people may say about the difficulties in finding jobs in heath care, it’s hard to argue against the continuous need for people in the profession. It’s a challenge to find a job in general, so if it’s your passion to help others in this way, go for it! Remember to discuss all the appropriate certifications with your career counselor that way you’re ahead of the curve when you begin the job hunt at your new duty station.
  3. Communications. I was once told that a communications degree was pointless. On the contrary, a B.A. in communications can open doors to a very wide range of opportunities. It’s a creative discipline and if you have a knack for working with people, brainstorming ideas, writing, communicating in general, then this major is for you. I’m extremely bias because I hold a communications degree. I was able to explore several different facets before putting together my portable career. For example, I studied journalism, marketing, and public speaking.
  4. Computer Science. There is no doubt that the digital age is booming. With a computer science degree, you become the go-to person. Other degrees that are similar are computer engineering or computer development. After graduation, use your expertise and land a job being a developer or researcher. There is no denying that a bachelor’s degree in computer science would translate into a very lucrative career. The National Association of College and Employers (NACE) reports that the starting salary for someone with a computer science degree is around $64K.
  5. Information Technology/Systems. Not to be confused with computer science, this degree takes technology systems and integrates them with businesses. For example, the skills you learn with this program can be applied to work for a number of places like IT firms, online Internet security companies or apply for other similar professions. This degree is great because it provides a well-rounded technical education.

If you are still undecided on a major, aim your studies toward a genre like liberal arts, business or science. Once you’ve applied within a certain school, work on your prerequisites before finalizing your major. U.S. News and World Report is a great resource to gather information on universities, programs, and a whole lot more, including some tips too.

Ultimately, choose a major that is right for you, no matter what. It’s best to be in a career that you love because then your job will never feel like work.

Want more information about college degrees that are most compatible with military life? Visit the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program website.

 

Bill Gives Veterans Using GI Bill In-State Tuition

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Bill approved by Congress provides in-state tuition for veterans.

All public universities will be required to offer veterans and their families in-state tuition regardless of their home of record.

Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed into law last week the Veterans Access, Choice And Accountability Act of 2014. This bill grants veterans and their families the right to in-state tuition at public colleges and universities regardless of where the service or family member is currently living. But only if, they are using GI Bill money.

The law goes into effect July 1, 2015.

Under the current law public schools are not mandated to offer in-state tuition if the veteran does not reside in the school’s state when classes begin. Currently, 24 states already have some form of a state residency waiver for veterans.

Other colleges require veterans to prove their intent on remaining in the state after their education is completed in order to receive in-state tuition. For example University of California, San Diego requires proof of your intent to become a California resident in order to receive in-state tuition. Not only do you need to prove your physical residence, but you must also “demonstrate your intention to make California your home by severing your residential ties with your former state of residence and establishing those ties with California.”  You can prove your intent by acquiring a California driver’s license, opening a bank account or showing your housing contract.

Meeting these requirements, while tedious, is well worth it as the tuition difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition is staggering. The University of Alabama, for example, charges in-state students $9,200 in tuition and fees for the 2013-14 year, while the out-of-state students are assessed fees and tuition of $22,950.

Related: 3 Ways to Stretch Your Tuition Dollars

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition for veterans will all change in July 2015 when the new law goes into effect. All public schools will be required to bill veterans and their families at an in-state tuition rate. If the school does not comply, the VA has the right to disapprove their courses.

This bill will not change veterans and families status when applying for school loans and scholarships. The GI Bill is not considered Federal Financial Aid and thus federal loans are still an available option. There are 5 main loans and grants:

  1. Stafford (subsidized)
  2. Stafford (unsubsidized)
  3. Perkins Loan
  4. Pell Grant
  5. Federal Student Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

Eligibility for most federal student aid is based on financial need along with several other factors. It is well worth it to look into these options as well as scholarships. MyCAA is a tuition assistance for military spouses for example. It has limitations based on the active duty sponsor’s rank however. It is only open to “spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2, O1-O2 including the spouses of activated Guard and Reserve members within those ranks.”

In-state tuition available for all veterans starting July 1, 2015.

In-state vs. out-of-state tuition for veterans will be irrelevant starting July 1, 2015.

There are many scholarship opportunities for military spouses. A second notable one is the National Military Family Association scholarship. This is open to all military spouses regardless of the veteran’s rank.

With the passing of this new bill, financial aid availability and scholarships, military families have more opportunities to make earning a college degree more of a possibility.

How will this bill affect your family? Will you be more likely to earn a college degree?

 

3 Ways to Stretch Your Tuition Dollars

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3 Ways to Max Out Your GI Bill Benefits

Use the VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool to calculate the cost of a diploma.

In this year’s defense budget debate, the political buzz has centered on the possibility of a reduction of benefits for active duty service members, military families, retirees and veterans. While this debate was negative news to every person who volunteered to serve their country, there is one benefit that is being paid out by the tens of thousands every year:

the Post-9/11 GI Bill

The Post-9/11 GI Bill was approved in July 2008 and it provides education benefits to service members who served 90 or more days on active duty since Sept. 10, 2001. Military.com explained that the benefits are tiered based on the number of days served on active duty, creating a benefit package that gives current and previously activated National Guard and Reserve members the same benefits as active duty service members.

Unlike the previous veteran tuition assistance benefits, the Post-9/11 GI Bill can be transferred to the service member’s spouse or children.

Are you considering using your Post-9/11 GI Bill?

Here are 3 ways to stretch your GI Bill dollars.

Choose a Post-9/11 GI Bill-friendly school. Review the list of college and universities participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program. This voluntarily program ensures that service members will not pay any money out-of-pocket for tuition and fees. You earned these benefits; select a school that values veterans and military families.

Calculate and compare educational options. Veterans shouldn’t rush into the decision to attend college. Each student needs to work with the Department of Veteran Affairs, which administrates the tuition benefits for veterans, to ensure that he fully understands his benefits. The VA’s GI Bill Comparison Tool provides unbiased and accurate information to compare different higher institutions.

For example, a veteran considering attending Harvard University is eligible for up to $19,198 per year for tuition, $2,454 monthly housing allowance, and $1,000 annual book stipend.  Tuition at this private university is $43,938.

Let’s compare those dollar amounts with Arizona State University, a public university which currently has 3,000 veterans and dependents enrolled and has been recognized as a military-friendly college. At ASU 100 percent of the instate tuition costs (estimated at $10,156), along with the $1,000 book stipend and $1,461 for a monthly housing allowance are included in the GI Bill benefits.

3 Ways to Get Max Benefits Out of Your GI Bill

Veterans should review the list of universities participating in the Yellow Ribbon Program before enrolling in college.

Every veteran should aim to attend a school with a benefit estimate of 100 percent of instate tuition costs. You earned these benefits; don’t go into debt to get your diploma.

Be smart about online resources. There is a lot of false and misleading information regarding the Post-9/11 GI Bill. Beware of websites that claim to be veteran education organizations, but are not affiliated with the VA. The best source of information is the VA. Stick with them. You earned these benefits; don’t be scammed.

What did I forget? Please share your tips on how to maximize your GI Bill benefits.