A PCS with kids is not the same PCS you did as a single service member. The moving parts multiply: school enrollment windows, medical records, EFMP screening, IEPs that need to transfer, the DPS scheduling window that always feels shorter than it should, and the pet-shipment surprise that catches every first-time family. This checklist is what to do before you sign for the moving truck.
It's built around the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, which every U.S. state has signed and which unlocks a bunch of enrollment protections most parents don't know they have.
60–90 days out
- Update DEERS. Every child's information (address, school district assignment) drives TRICARE region and, later, in-state tuition for higher ed. Do this the day the orders drop.
- Book Household Goods (HHG) counseling and DPS pickup dates. Peak PCS season (mid-May through early August) fills first — request pickup dates as soon as your orders let you.
- EFMP re-enrollment. If your child has an EFMP category, submit the DD Form 2792 update at the gaining installation's EFMP office before you accept the assignment if possible. EFMP flagging can trigger a reassignment if the gaining installation cannot support the child's medical or educational needs.
- Request records. Pull physical or digital copies of every school record, IEP, 504 plan, immunization record, and dental x-ray. Do this while you're the "current parent" — records lag when you leave.
- Notify current school. Give at least 30 days' written notice of the last day of attendance.
30–45 days out
- Contact the gaining school district's School Liaison Officer (SLO). Every installation has one. They know the enrollment windows, the compact rules, and the "gotchas" specific to that district.
- Register your child in the new district conditionally. Under the Interstate Compact (see below), the gaining district must accept unofficial records for enrollment purposes if you have orders. Get the child on the roster; official records catch up.
- Pediatrician and specialists. Request a courtesy referral summary from every provider. TRICARE Prime referrals do NOT auto-transfer between regions — you'll need new ones from the new PCM.
- TRICARE region transfer. Once you PCS, you'll be in a new TRICARE region (East or West). Update on the Beneficiary Web Enrollment portal within 60 days of arrival to avoid a coverage gap.
- Pets. If OCONUS, start USDA / APHIS paperwork now — some countries require 90-day quarantine or 6-month rabies-titer waiting periods.
The Interstate Compact — protections most families don't use
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children is signed by all 50 states and DC. It requires the gaining school district to:
- Accept the child at the same grade level as the sending district's records show (no arbitrary re-grading).
- Allow enrollment based on unofficial records — you're not blocked because the sending school hasn't mailed the transcript yet.
- Waive residency requirements while you're transitioning (temporary housing counts).
- Grant reasonable accommodations for missed course sequences (advanced math, foreign language) required for graduation.
- Allow senior-year students on track to graduate in the sending state to receive that state's diploma if the gaining state has different graduation requirements — a huge deal for kids moving in 11th or 12th grade.
If a district balks, escalate to the state Compact Commissioner (every state has one, listed at mic3.net) via the installation SLO.
15 days out
- Assemble the "hand-carry box": school records, immunizations, marriage/birth certificates, DEERS-verified copies of everyone's ID cards, sponsor's LES, PCS orders, pet health certificates.
- Confirm DPS packing and pickup dates. Prep the packing crew's staging areas.
- Cancel or forward: pediatrician (records requested), dentist, ortho, therapy providers.
- Update DEA for your child's Chapter 35 benefits if applicable.
Move day and first 30 days in
- Enroll the child on day one at the new school with the hand-carry records — don't wait for the official transcript.
- Register the pet with the new base veterinary clinic if living on-base.
- Book the first pediatric PCM appointment; establish referrals.
- Update the EFMP office at the gaining installation and open coordination with any new-state agencies (Medicaid waiver programs, Regional Center, etc.).
- File a "supplemental" DPS damage claim if anything arrives broken — you have 75 days.
School-year timing
A PCS that lands you in-state before the school year starts is the ideal scenario. A mid-year PCS is disruptive but legally protected: the Interstate Compact requires enrollment "at the same grade level" and forbids the gaining school from arbitrarily holding a mid-year transfer back a grade. If a mid-year PCS is unavoidable, request the gaining installation's SLO reach out before you arrive — most SLOs will pre-negotiate the child's grade placement.
Downloadable checklist
Print this page as a self-contained checklist — every item above is a real, actionable step. Cross off as you go. If your family has EFMP or special-needs considerations, add the DD Form 2792 update as your #1 line item.
Related
See the PCS hub, the EFMP hub, our TRICARE options explainer, and the Dependent ID card guide.