EFMP/Military Special Education Annual Survey Is LIVE!

While the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included groundbreaking updates to the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), families continue to report a lack of communication on
how these changes will benefit their daily lives. We know that our annual survey data + family stories = change.

Take the Survey

Partners in PROMISE is focused on finding evidence-based solutions to the issues faced by military families in special education and within EFMP. On September 7, 2021, we released our annual Military
Special Education Survey in order to translate the stories of Exceptional Families into actionable data.
This year’s survey will take roughly 15 minutes to complete and will focus on timelines experienced by
military families including diagnosis, evaluation and the receipt of medical and special education
services. Other areas of focus include the utilization and efficiency of available DOD programming on
the 2021 NDAA updates. The survey will be open now – October 8, 2021.

Are You Ready for Change?

The changes above were all items families shared during Partners in PROMISE’s annual survey that was fielded in 2020.

Some of the 2021 NDAA changes included many of Partners in PROMISE previous recommendations based on stories shared by EFMP families in their previous years’ surveys (2019 & 2020):

EFMP standardization across service branches
Standardization of the respite care program
GAO studies: special education and impact aid
Special education attorneys and advocates

“Unfortunately, our families have reported frustration with a lack of clarity surrounding these
amazing changes,” said Michelle Norman, Executive Director of Partners in PROMISE. “We want our
families to know that we are working with our service branch leadership and change is coming. But
we need your feedback about what you are experiencing today to help make EFMP all that it CAN be.”

This year Partners in PROMISE is partnering with Ohio State University’s Dr. Amy Shuman. Not only does
Dr. Shuman love data as much as Partners in PROMISE, but she is also a research-based storyteller. She
is a professor in the English department specializing in folklore, narrative, critical theory and the author of
books and articles on disability, conversational narrative, literacy, political asylum, food customs,
feminist theory, and critical theory. Our partnership with OSU will allow us to not only learn more about
our families but continue to use this information to inform Partners in PROMISE programs and support
recommendations.

Questions about the survey? Email info@partnersinpromise.org