The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 16 : Education

Chapter 019 : Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children

• § 806h. Interstate commission on educational opportunity for military children — Article IX

  The member states hereby create the “Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.” The activities of the Interstate Commission are the formation of public policy and are a discretionary state function. The Interstate Commission shall:

  A. Be a body corporate and joint agency of the member states and shall have all the responsibilities, powers, and duties set forth herein, and such additional powers as may be conferred upon it by a subsequent concurrent action of the respective legislatures of the member states in accordance with the terms of this compact.

  B. Consist of one Interstate Commission voting representative from each member state who shall be that state’s compact commissioner.

  1. Each member state represented at a meeting of the Interstate Commission is entitled to one vote.

  2. A majority of the total member states shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless a larger quorum is required by the bylaws of the Interstate Commission.

  3. A representative shall not delegate a vote to another member state. In the event the compact commissioner is unable to attend a meeting of the Interstate Commission, the Governor or State Council may delegate voting authority to another person from their state for a specified meeting.

  4. The bylaws may provide for meetings of the Interstate Commission to be conducted by telecommunication or electronic communication.

  C. Consist of ex-officio, nonvoting representatives who are members of interested organizations. Such ex-officio members, as defined in the bylaws, may include but not be limited to, members of the representative organizations of military family advocates, local education agency officials, parent and teacher groups, the U.S. Department of Defense, the Education Commission of the States, the Interstate Agreement on the Qualification of Educational Personnel, and other interstate compacts affecting the education of children of military members.

  D. Meet at least once each calendar year. The chairperson may call additional meetings and, upon the request of a simple majority of the member states, shall call additional meetings.

  E. Establish an executive committee, whose members shall include the officers of the Interstate Commission and such other members of the Interstate Commission as determined by the bylaws. Members of the executive committee shall serve a one-year term. Members of the executive committee shall be entitled to one vote each. The executive committee shall have the power to act on behalf of the Interstate Commission, with the exception of rulemaking, during periods when the Interstate Commission is not in session. The executive committee shall oversee the day-to-day activities of the administration of the compact, including enforcement and compliance with the provisions of the compact, its bylaws and rules, and other such duties as deemed necessary. The U.S. Dept. of Defense shall serve as an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the executive committee.

  F. Establish bylaws and rules that provide for conditions and procedures under which the Interstate Commission shall make its information and official records available to the public for inspection or copying. The Interstate Commission may exempt from disclosure information or official records to the extent they would adversely affect personal privacy rights or proprietary interests.

  G. Give public notice of all meetings and all meetings shall be open to the public, except as set forth in the rules or as otherwise provided in the compact. The Interstate Commission and its committees may close a meeting, or portion thereof, where it determines by two-thirds’ vote that an open meeting would be likely to:

  1. Relate solely to the Interstate Commission’s internal personnel practices and procedures;

  2. Disclose matters specifically exempted from disclosure by federal and state statute;

  3. Disclose trade secrets or commercial or financial information which is privileged or confidential;

  4. Involve accusing a person of a crime, or formally censuring a person;

  5. Disclose information of a personal nature where disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy;

  6. Disclose investigative records compiled for law enforcement purposes; or

  7. Specifically relate to the Interstate Commission’s participation in a civil action or other legal proceeding.

  H. Cause its legal counsel or designee to certify that a meeting may be closed and shall reference each relevant exemptible provision for any meeting, or portion of a meeting, which is closed pursuant to this provision. The Interstate Commission shall keep minutes which shall fully and clearly describe all matters discussed in a meeting and shall provide a full and accurate summary of actions taken, and the reasons therefor, including a description of the views expressed and the record of a roll call vote. All documents considered in connection with an action shall be identified in such minutes. All minutes and documents of a closed meeting shall remain under seal, subject to release by a majority vote of the Interstate Commission.

  I. Collect standardized data concerning the educational transition of the children of military families under this compact as directed through its rules which shall specify the data to be collected, the means of collection and data exchange and reporting requirements. Such methods of data collection, exchange, and reporting shall, insofar as is reasonably possible, conform to current technology and coordinate its information functions with the appropriate custodian of records as identified in the bylaws and rules.

  J. Create a process that permits military officials, education officials, and parents to inform the Interstate Commission if and when there are alleged violations of the compact or its rules or when issues subject to the jurisdiction of the compact or its rules are not addressed by the state or local education agency. This section shall not be construed to create a private right of action against the Interstate Commission, any member state, or any local education agency. (Added 2011, No. 43, § 1.)