Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 is proud of our relationship with Fort Riley. We are also proud of the service to our country by our military families. Please contact our Teaching and Learning Department with questions or concerns - 785-587-2000.

On 14 December 2000, IAW the Army Chief of Staff’s guidance, the Army G-1 approved a Soldier initiated assignment procedure to schedule Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves to occur at times that avoid disruption of the school schedule for Soldiers who have Family members who are high school seniors. 

The policy was expanded to include Soldiers with Family members in their junior year.

Information about the High School Stabilization Program for Juniors and Seniors:

Resources for Military Families

• Fort Riley Child, Youth and School Services
  • Ft. Riley Child, Youth & School Services recognizes the challenges of our Soldiers and their Families.
• Fort Riley School Support Services
  • School Liaisons network, educate and work in partnership with local schools to provide caring adults to enhance school-age education experience. Shelby Amancio is the School Liaison Officer that works with USD 383.
• Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children
  • The goal of the Compact is to replace the widely varying policies affecting transitioning military students.
• Military Child Education Coalition
  • To ensure inclusive, quality educational experiences for all military-connected children affected by mobility, family separation, and transition
• Kansas Parent Information Resource Center
  • KPIRC promotes meaningful family engagement at all levels of education and provides information and resources to help parents, educators and other organizations promote the educational success of every Kansas child.
• Tutoring
  • Get homework and studying help from a professional tutor any time you need it. FREE for students in Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard and Reserve families.
• DODEA Educational Partnership
  • Children of military families face unique challenges that are unparalleled in the general student population.
• Ft. Riley/Barton Community College
  • Offers all parents and students with a DOD card to obtain an Associates Degree for free.
• Military One Source
  • Resources and information on every aspect of military life.
• Affordable Colleges
  • Scholarship resources to support military students and their families.

Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 and the Interstate Compact

Date: 2025-26 School Year

To: Our Military Families

From: Eric Reid, Superintendent

Subject: Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children

Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 is committed to doing whatever we can to provide the best possible transition and educational experience for our military students. Our district will comply fully with the expectations of the Interstate Compact. These expectations include:

1. Unofficial or "hand-carried" education records – In the event that official education records cannot be released to the parents for the purpose of transfer, the custodian of the records in the sending state shall prepare and furnish to the parent a complete set of unofficial educational records containing uniform information as determined by the Interstate Commission. Upon receipt of the unofficial education records by a school in the receiving state, the school shall enroll and appropriately place the student based on the information provided in the unofficial records pending validation by the official records, as quickly as possible.
2. Official education records/transcripts – Simultaneous with the enrollment and conditional placement of the student, the school in the receiving state shall request the student's official education record from the school in the sending state. Upon receipt of this request, the school in the sending state will process and furnish the official education records to the school in the receiving state within ten (10) days or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Commission.
3. Immunizations – Compacting states shall give thirty (30) days from the date of enrollment or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Commission, for students to obtain any immunization(s) required by the receiving state. For a series of immunizations, initial vaccinations must be obtained within thirty (30) days or within such time as is reasonably determined under the rules promulgated by the Interstate Commission.
4. Kindergarten and first grade entrance age – Students shall be allowed to continue their enrollment at grade level in the receiving state commensurate with their grade level (including Kindergarten) from a local education agency in the sending state at the time of transition, regardless of age. A student that has satisfactorily completed the prerequisite grade level in the local education agency in the sending state shall be eligible for enrollment in the next highest grade level in the receiving state, regardless of age. A student transferring after the start of the school year in the receiving state shall enter the school in the receiving state on their validated level from an accredited school in the sending state.
5. Course placement – When the student transfers before or during the school year, the receiving state school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational courses based on the student's enrollment in the sending state school and/or educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state if the courses are offered. Course placement includes but is not limited to Honors, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, vocational, technical and career pathways courses. Continuing the student's academic program from the previous school and promoting placement in academically and career challenging courses shall be paramount when considering placement. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement and continued enrollment of the student in the course(s).
6. Educational program placement – The receiving state school shall initially honor placement of the student in educational programs based on current educational assessments conducted at the school in the sending state or participation/placement in like programs in the sending state. Such programs include, but are not limited to: 1) gifted and talented programs; and 2) English as a second language (ESL). This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.
7. Special education services
   1. In compliance with the federal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), 20 U.S.C.A. Section 1400 et seq, the receiving state shall initially provide comparable services to a student with disabilities based on his/her current Individualized Education Program (IEP); and
   2. In compliance with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C.A. Section 794, and with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C.A. Sections 12131-12165, the receiving state shall make reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of incoming students with disabilities, subject to an existing 504 or Title II Plan, to provide the student with equal access to education. This does not preclude the school in the receiving state from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure appropriate placement of the student.
8. Placement flexibility – Local education agency administrative officials shall have flexibility in waiving course/program prerequisites, or other preconditions for placement in courses/programs offered under the jurisdiction of the local education agency.
9. Absence as related to deployment activities – A student whose parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined by the compact, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted additional excused absences at the discretion of the local education agency superintendent to visit with his or her parent or legal guardian relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or guardian.
10. Eligibility for enrollment
    1. Special power of attorney, relative to the guardianship of a child of a military family and executed under applicable law shall be sufficient for the purposes of enrollment and all other actions requiring parental participation and consent.
    2. A local education agency shall be prohibited from charging local tuition to a transitioning military child placed in the care of a non-custodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis who lives in a jurisdiction other than that of the custodial parent.
    3. A transitioning military child, placed in the care of a non-custodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis who lives in a jurisdiction other than that of the custodial parent, may continue to attend the school in which he/she was enrolled while residing with the custodial parent.
11. Eligibility for extracurricular participation – State and local education agencies shall facilitate the opportunity for transitioning military children's inclusion in extracurricular activities, regardless of application deadlines, to the extent they are otherwise qualified.
12. Waiver requirements – Local education agency administrative officials shall waive specific courses required for graduation if similar course work has been satisfactorily completed in another local education agency or shall provide reasonable justification for denial. Should a waiver not be granted to a student who would qualify to graduate from the sending school, the local education agency shall provide an alternative means of acquiring required coursework so that graduation may occur on time.
13. Exit exams – States shall accept:
    1. exit or end-of-course exams required for graduation from the sending state; or
    2. national norm-referenced achievement tests or
    3. alternative testing, in lieu of testing requirements for graduation in the receiving state.
    4. In the event the above alternatives cannot be accommodated by the receiving state for a student transferring in his or her senior year, then the provisions of item 14 listed below shall apply.
14. Transfers during senior year – Should a military student transferring at the beginning or during his or her Senior year be ineligible to graduate from the receiving local education agency after all alternatives have been considered, the sending and receiving local education agencies shall ensure the receipt of a diploma from the sending education agency, if the student meets the graduation requirements of the sending local education agency. In the event that one of the states in question is not a member of this compact, the member state shall use best efforts to facilitate the on-time graduation of the student in accordance with items 12 and 13 listed above.
     

I know the professional staff in our school district will support and advise you in your child's transition between schools. Should you believe we are not fulfilling our responsibilities, first communicate your concerns with the school principal. If any of these expectations remain unresolved, call me at 785-587-2000.

Kansas State University Website

Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 partners with Kansas State University in several ways across the district.

Some of these partnerships include:

• The Summer STEM Institute
• Concurrent and Dual Credit classes at Manhattan High School
• Professional Development for USD 383 educators and staff
• The Teacher Leadership Academy
• KSU Athletics volunteering with elementary schools

Professional Development with Kansas State University

In 1989, initial steps toward a professional development partnership began between Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 and the College of Education at Kansas State University. In 1993, partners formalized a mutually supportive relationship by entering into an agreement to become a Learning Laboratory under the auspices of the National Center for Innovation of the National Education Association (NEA). This long-standing relationship has fostered significant progress in improving student learning and other achievement, increasing the quality of teacher education candidates, raising private funding for student activities, generating external funding for research and development, facilitating professional development for educators, and improving the conditions for teaching and learning: both in USD 383 and at KSU.

The educational benefits provided by the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383/KSU College of Education Partnership include:

1. Support and enhancement of student learning throughout USD 383
2. Support and enhancement for the preparation of preservice teachers
3. Provide professional development opportunities for public school and university faculty
4. Support and enhance the conditions for teaching and learning
5. Foster simultaneous efforts for school and university improvements
6. Identify and support efficiencies in the use of USD 383 and KSU resources
7. Contribute to the progress of the education profession through joint research and development
8. Increase external funding to improve teaching, learning, and teacher preparation
9. Facilitate after school activities, clubs, and science fair projects
10. Support school improvement plans in each school

All Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 schools serve as Professional Development Schools for pre-service College of Education KSU students.  These pre-service students provide support and instruction in district classrooms.

Manhattan Area Technical College Website

Manhattan Area Technical College and Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 have a robust partnership to bring college-level courses to Manhattan High School students.

Many of the Career and Technical Education classes offered at Manhattan High School also allow students to earn credit at MATC.