Photo By Theresa OHagan | Brigit Smith, the Pine Bluff Arsenal School Liaison Officer turned her frontline...... read more read more
When Arkansas legislators set out to broaden support for every relocating family—military, Guard, Reserve, and DoD civilians—they needed on-the-ground voices to bring the bill to life. Enter Brigit Smith, School Liaison Officer at Pine Bluff Arsenal, whose firsthand experience with enrollment headaches and siloed districts helped transform HB 1545 into the sweeping education measure now known as Act 501.
Arkansas’s original Military Child School Transitions law smoothed moves for active-duty dependents—but left out Gold Star families, retirees, and the thousands of DoD civilians living just off post. Recognizing that every PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move can disrupt a child’s education, lawmakers drafted HB 1545 to: • Remove eligibility caps after service separation • Open streamlined enrollment to any relocating student • Strengthening IEP continuity for special-needs children • Incentivize schools through the new Purple Star designation
But details on paper don’t guarantee change in the classroom. That’s where Smith stepped in. Though new to the SLO role (since February 2024), Brigit had built deep connections by volunteering with Child and Youth Services and coaching soccer for military-connected kids. When the Arkansas Department of Education’s Military Family Engagement Advisor convened stakeholders on HB 1545, she didn’t just attend—she listened for the gaps. “I sat there listening, taking notes, imagining how each clause could translate into real support at Pine Bluff Arsenal.”
By sharing anecdotes, late-June calls with overwhelmed registrars, end-of-year enrollment roadblocks, she painted a vivid picture of the challenges families face when records, IEPs, or medical documentation arrive late. As the bill evolved into Act 501 (signed April 2025), three areas felt Smith’s influence most:
• Open Enrollment for All Relocating Students - Smith advocated for unlimited eligibility, stressing that DoD civilians and retired families shouldn’t lose benefits a year after discharge. “When you leave the uniform, your child’s needs don’t end at 12 months,” she told advisors.
• Proactive Records Transfer - She pushed for clear “advance enrollment” steps—so families know exactly when and how to share transcripts, IEPs, and health records. “If registrars get that packet before move-in day, a kid can start class on time,” she noted.
• Purple Star School Program Having introduced herself at every local board meeting, Smith championed the new designation requiring staff training, family-liaison roles, and student transition clubs. “Purple Star schools will be beacons for our families—meeting them before they even unpack boxes.”
Smith continues to overcome the most persistent hurdle, educators’ unawareness of military life’s disruptions. Brigit recalls district leaders baffled by deployment-driven absences and mid-year transfers. Without that context, even the best policies gather dust. “Many educators simply aren’t aware of military kids’ unique needs—deployments, medical stays, PCS moves. We had to humanize those statistics,” she explained.
Her solution: live examples. During one House committee briefing, she brought a mother whose child missed six weeks of school due to a medical emergency on base. The story turned sleepy nods into engaged questions about credit waivers and make-up plans.
Now that Act 501 is law, Smith is turning strategy into action: • Rolling out pre-arrival enrollment workshops for incoming families • Drafting resource packets that outline timelines for records transfer • Meeting with nearby school districts to map out Purple Star criteria
“I predict we’ll see fewer kids start the year behind,” she said. “Once districts embrace training, liaisons, and student clubs, we’ll unlock stability for these students.”
Smith’s legislative journey was short but intense. Her advice for SLOs and family-engagement champions:
Act 501’s passage marked a milestone for Arkansas families. Thanks to advocates like Brigit Smith, the law isn’t just ink on paper, it’s a roadmap to smoother moves, stronger support, and brighter school days for every child who calls Arkansas home, even if it’s just for a season.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.23.2025 12:34 |
| Story ID: | 549045 |
| Location: | PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS, US |
| Hometown: | PINE BLUFF, ARKANSAS, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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