Colorado Makes School Enrollment Easier During PCS Moves

Affiliation: Joint

Location: Colorado Springs, CO | Statewide

Partners: Military spouse advocate; Colorado military installations; school liaison offices; state legislators; public school districts; Air University A+ Toolkit partners

What They Did: A military spouse-led coalition helped secure Colorado HB 21-1217, allowing inbound active-duty families to participate in public-school open enrollment before establishing local residency. Schools must accept the installation School Liaison Office address when needed, and families can use military orders or a command letter to begin the process electronically.

Key Results: Schools can accept the installation School Liaison Office address and military orders or a command letter, helping families secure school placement earlier in the PCS process.

Replication Takeaway: Document the enrollment barrier, organize families and installation school liaisons, build support among school districts and legislators, and translate the solution into a replicable case study for other states.