Relating to the interstate compact on educational opportunity for military children and other protections for certain military dependents enrolled in a public school.
Summary
HB 5381, known as Rocky’s Law, expands Texas education protections for certain military-connected students under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The bill adds a new Education Code section that extends compact protections to two additional groups of children: children of uniformed services veterans who retire and then return to their home of record on military orders, and children of uniformed services members who die on active duty or from active-duty injuries. In both cases, the added protections apply for four years after the qualifying event.
The bill also requires school districts and open-enrollment charter schools with websites to post an easily accessible “MIC3” link on their home page directing families to information about the compact and the new protections. It further updates the compact’s definition of “active duty” and revises the membership of the State Advisory Council to include additional stakeholder representation, including a classroom teacher from a Department of Defense Education Activity school and other offices or groups the agency considers appropriate. The bill applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and takes effect immediately if it receives the constitutionally required vote, otherwise on September 1, 2025.
Impact
HB 5381 amends the Texas Education Code by creating Section 25.906 and modifying provisions in Chapter 162 governing Texas’s participation in the military children compact. It broadens eligibility for compact-based school enrollment and related protections, and it imposes a new website notice requirement on school districts and charter schools. The bill affects public school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, military families, and the Texas Education Agency’s administration of the compact and advisory council.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been received favorably and with little opposition. It passed the House overwhelmingly on second and third reading and was reported favorably in the Senate Education K-16 Committee by an 11-0 vote. The available record suggests broad bipartisan support for expanding educational stability and access for military dependents.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available materials, likely because the bill is narrowly tailored and framed as a support measure for military families. Any potential points of discussion would center on the scope of the new eligibility categories, the four-year duration of protections, and the administrative burden of website posting and compliance by school districts and charter schools. The committee record provided does not show recorded objections or amendments.