COLUMBIA, S.C. — A new law aims to help military families moving to South Carolina by allowing them to enroll their children in public schools before they arrive.
Until now, military families had to wait until they were physically in South Carolina to do so. This new law aims to improve students' chances of getting into classes or after-school activities.
Moving around with his military family, Blake Flesch knows what it's like to be the new kid in school.
“Making friends has got to be the hardest part," Flesch said. "But once you really get the whole pick-up-and-go thing down, it becomes a lot easier."
His dad, Eric Flesch, has served in the military for 27 years and is stationed at Shaw Air Force Base as an executive officer for the commander general of Army Central Command.
The Flesch family has moved about 15 times including North Carolina, Georga, and overseas.
Eric Flesch said the hardest part was not being able to enroll his kids in classes until they were in a new state, often after the school year started.
“You end up being last on the list and may not get the schedule that they want," said Flesch.
"In North Carolina, I believe I lost out on a couple of the better public schools," said Blake.
The new law waives proof-of-residency requirements such as utility bills, rental contracts, or property deeds with their home address. After the family moves, they must give proof of an address.
"It's one less thing you have to keep in the back of your mind when you're on a mission overseas," said Eric Flesch.
Director of Government Affairs for the South Carolina Department of Veterans Affairs Edward Bell said there are more than 20,000 military students in the state. A quarter of those are in Richland County School District Two.
“This is a big win. And we believe that it's going to attract even more military members that want to come to this state," Bell said. "And eventually, retire and stay in this state."
Now a recent Spring Valley High School graduate, Flesch said this law will help thousands of families like his.
“It's gonna be fantastic that they don't - that they do not - have to go through the same struggle that we did," said Flesch.