Collective Competence: Partnerships for Military Family Readiness

Military families often navigate frequent moves, changing support systems, school transitions, and periods of separation related to military service. These experiences can create challenges for children and families as they access educational, healthcare, and community supports. The 2026 Military Family Readiness Academy (MFRA) theme, Building Strong Communities for Military Family Readiness, emphasizes the importance of coordinated systems that enable families to thrive through collaboration across schools, military support programs, and community organizations. Military-connected schools are uniquely positioned to support this work because collaborative practices are already embedded in many educational structures and service delivery models, including IEP teams, Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) service coordination, and school-community partnerships (Bronstein, 2003; Mapp & Bergman, 2019).

Research consistently highlights the importance of collaboration among families, educators, service providers, and community partners in supporting positive outcomes for children and families (Bronstein, 2003; Kyzar et al., 2012). Effective partnerships help families access resources, navigate systems, and maintain continuity during periods of transition. Family-school partnerships are particularly important because they create opportunities for shared decision-making and strengthen communication between home and school (Mapp & Bergman, 2019).

The concept of collective competence recognizes that no single professional, organization, or family member possesses all the expertise necessary to address complex needs. Instead, effective support emerges when individuals contribute their unique knowledge, skills, and perspectives while working toward shared goals (Bronstein, 2003). Military-connected schools, including both Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools and civilian local education agencies (LEAs), routinely demonstrate collective competence through Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams, Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) teams, Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) coordination, multidisciplinary problem-solving teams, and school-community partnerships. School liaisons also play an important coordinating role by connecting military families with schools, installation resources, and community organizations to promote continuity of services and supports during relocations and other transitions. Together, these collaborative partnerships demonstrate how collective competence extends beyond any one professional or organization to strengthen support for military-connected children, youth, and their families.

Military-connected children and youth often navigate multiple school transitions, changing peer relationships, shifting support systems, and periods of family separation associated with a caregiver’s military service. Research and practice initiatives focused on military-connected youth emphasize the importance of positive youth-adult relationships, resilience, and community connections (Walsh, 2016). Family-school partnerships and collaborative networks also contribute to continuity of support during periods of transition (Kyzar et al., 2012; Mapp & Bergman, 2019). Collective competence provides a useful framework for understanding how schools, families, military supports, and community organizations can work together to strengthen both youth outcomes and military family readiness (Bronstein, 2003).

Recognize Collective Competence in Existing Practices

Many professionals already participate in collective competence without using this term. IFSP and IEP teams, EFMP service coordination efforts, school liaison partnerships, school-community referral networks, and multidisciplinary school teams are all examples of collective competence in action. This is visible when educators contribute instructional knowledge, caregivers share information about family priorities and experiences, specialists provide targeted recommendations, and community partners offer additional supports. Recognizing these collaborative efforts as examples of collective competence helps professionals build upon strengths that already exist within their systems (Bronstein, 2003).

Families as Essential Partners

Families are often the one consistent connection across schools, installations, and communities. At the same time, military-connected school professionals, school liaisons, and community partners also play important roles in promoting continuity as children and youth experience relocations and other transitions. Family-professional partnerships are therefore critical to continuity of support. Schools can strengthen collective competence by ensuring that families are active participants in planning, decision-making, and problem-solving processes. Research demonstrates that meaningful family engagement contributes to stronger outcomes for children and families and supports more effective collaboration among team members (Kyzar et al., 2012; Mapp & Bergman, 2019).

Military life may also require professionals to think creatively about how families participate in these partnerships. During deployments, temporary duty (TDY) assignments, training, or other military obligations, caregivers may not always be able to attend meetings or participate in person. When appropriate, schools and service providers can offer flexible options—such as virtual participation, phone conferences, or electronic communication—to ensure caregivers remain informed, connected, and engaged in planning and decision-making despite physical distance. These efforts reinforce the collaborative partnerships that are central to collective competence.

Extend Partnerships Beyond School Settings

Schools are important hubs of support, but military family readiness extends beyond educational environments. Community organizations, healthcare providers, recreation programs, military support services, and local agencies often offer resources that complement school-based supports. Developing referral pathways and collaborative relationships across organizations helps create more seamless systems of support and reduces the burden on families to navigate services independently (Bronstein, 2003). For example, school staff and school liaisons may connect military-connected children, youth, and their caregivers with military support programs, healthcare providers, youth-serving organizations, recreational opportunities, and local agencies that offer services tailored to their needs. These referral networks help ensure that support extends beyond school walls and remains accessible during periods of transition (Kyzar et al., 2012; Mapp & Bergman, 2019).

Strengthen Transition Supports Through Collaboration

Transitions are a common aspect of military life. Whether families are relocating, changing schools, or adjusting to deployment-related circumstances, collaborative partnerships can help maintain continuity of support. Establishing strong communication linkages among schools, families, and community partners before transitions occur can reduce disruptions and help families access needed resources more efficiently. Strong collaborative networks contribute to family resilience in general, and during periods of change (Walsh, 2016).

Collaborative networks not only support families during relocation and deployment-related transitions, but also help children and youth to build independence, develop leadership and self-advocacy skills, explore careers, engage in social opportunities, and participate in their communities. When schools and community partners coordinate their efforts, military-connected children and youth are more likely to maintain meaningful connections with the people, services, and resources that promote resilience and successful adjustment during periods of change (Kyzar et al., 2012; Walsh, 2016).

Create a Shared Commitment to Military Family Readiness

Collective competence is most effective when supporting military families becomes a shared responsibility, such as when educators, administrators, military support personnel, healthcare providers, community organizations, school liaisons, and families all contribute valuable expertise. When communities intentionally create structures that enhance communication, collaboration, and shared problem-solving, they strengthen military family readiness and build more responsive systems of support by leveraging the expertise of multiple partners who work toward shared goals (Bronstein, 2003).

Practical Recommendations for Professionals

1. Identify existing partnerships within your school and community.
2. Include families as equal partners in planning and decision-making.
3. Develop referral networks with community and military support organizations.
4. Create systems for sharing resources across agencies.
5. Establish transition supports for military-connected families.
6. Participate in multidisciplinary collaboration opportunities.
7. Strengthen communication among families, school, military, and community partners.
8. Regularly evaluate collaborative practices and identify opportunities for growth.

Military family readiness is strengthened when communities work together rather than in isolation. Military-connected schools already demonstrate many principles of collective competence through family-professional partnerships, IEP teams, IFSP teams, EFMP coordination, and collaborative problem-solving efforts. By recognizing these existing strengths and extending partnerships beyond school and installation boundaries, communities can create even more coordinated systems of support for military families. Building strong communities means working together so military families have the relationships, resources, and coordinated supports they need to adapt, thrive, and navigate the unique opportunities and challenges of military life. Ultimately, collective competence is not simply about coordinating services; it is about creating communities where military-connected youth and families experience belonging, continuity of services, resilience, and opportunities to thrive across settings.

Reflective Questions for Families and Professionals:

1. What examples of collective competence already exist within our school, organization, and community?
2. How are military families included in decision-making processes?
3. Which community partners could strengthen our support network?
4. How effectively do we support families during transitions?
5. What barriers limit collaboration across organizations? How can we address these barriers?
6. How can information-sharing be improved?
7. What strengths do military families contribute to our collaborative teams?
8. What is one action we can take to strengthen collective competence this year?

References

Bronstein, L. R. (2003). A model for interdisciplinary collaboration. Social Work, 48(3), 297–306.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 (2004).

Kyzar, K. B., Turnbull, A. P., Summers, J. A., & Gómez, V. A. (2012). The relationship of family support to family outcomes: A synthesis of key findings from research on severe disability. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, 37(1), 31–44.

Mapp, K. L., & Bergman, E. (2019). Dual capacity-building framework for family-school partnerships (Version 2). U.S. Department of Education.

Walsh, F. (2016). Family resilience: A developmental systems framework. European Journal of Developmental Psychology, 13(3), 313–324.

 

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