ODE urges narrow fix to MIC3 language in ORS 326.552 to prevent unintended expansion

At the Senate Committee on Education public hearing on Feb. 17, Teneal Weatherall, identified as deputy director of operations for the Oregon Department of Education, urged lawmakers to approve a narrow technical amendment to ORS 326.552 to align state law with the Military Interstate Children's Compact (MIC3) model.

“This will help ensure that military connected students face minimal disruption in education when military families relocate across state lines,” Weatherall told the committee. She said the change corrects extra text in Oregon’s statute that currently references 32 U.S.C. §502(f), language not present in the national model compact.

Weatherall warned that the extra text “unintentionally expands eligibility to National Guard members serving on state missions such as disaster response or emergency activations even when families are not relocating across state lines,” which is outside the compact’s original purpose of addressing disruptions caused by interstate moves. She recommended removing the Oregon-only reference so the state statute matches the uniform compact language used by other states.

Committee members thanked Weatherall and had no immediate objection to the technical clarification. No vote was held during the hearing; Chair Frederick closed the public hearing and requested that staff and witnesses provide any follow-up documentation the committee seeks prior to further action.