The Military Family's Parent Guide for Supporting Your Child in School

While it is true that children from military families live unique and interesting lives, it is also true that they face many challenges and special circumstances that civilian children and families don’t experience. These can include gaps in school attendance and learning due to frequent moves, being separated from a parent who has been deployed, and a sense of isolation in the midst of a civilian community.

This unique guide provides parents with the information they need to choose a welcoming school or childcare program and suggests steps they can take to advocate for their children. It also highlights the types of questions parents should ask about how their children are faring socially, emotionally, and academically, such as:

• What can I do to help my child make a smooth transition to a new school?
• How can I support my child academically?
• What role can sports and extracurricular activities play?
• What resources or staff does my school have to meet the needs of military children?

Written in an engaging style by experts in the field, this guide will help parents form partnerships with teachers and administrators as they work to make schools more military-friendly. Guides written specifically for teachers, school administrators, and pupil personnel are also available from Teachers College Press. All royalties from the sale of these books are being donated to military children’s educational causes.

Ron Avi Astor is the Richard M. and Ann L. Thor Professor in Urban Social Development at the University of Southern California (USC) School of Social Work and Rossier School of Education. He is the principal investigator of Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools, a consortium partnership involving USC and eight Southern California military-connected school districts. Linda Jacobson is the editor and writer for the Building Capacity project in the School of Social Work at USC. Rami Benbenishty is a professor at Luis and Gaby Wiesfeld School of Social Work at Bar Ilan University.

“I am grateful to the USC Building Capacity team headed by Ron Avi Astor for developing this exceptional resource. It provides practical, experience-based insights that are well-supported by good science. Parents and other family members will find this reliable source useful and sensitive.”
—Mary M. Keller, EdD, President and CEO, Military Child Education Coalition

“The information in this book will provide parents and community leaders the tools they need to level the playing field for military students.”
—Navy Region Southwest School Liaison Officer Program

“Military-connected students often pay a high price in their schooling experiences due to the realities of military life. Thus, this guide is an invaluable tool for parents, schools, and educator-preparation programs that want to provide rich academic, social, and emotional support to this vulnerable population of children.”
—American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education