Impact Aid: Hurlburt parents urged to complete federal surveys

  • Published
  • By By Airman 1st Class Nigel Sandridge
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. --  The Impact Aid Program is a year-round program here at Hurlburt Field where the Airman's & Family Readiness Center assists personnel in using and understanding Impact Aid cards they will receive.

As a federal tax exemption program, Impact Aid was created to assist the families of military personal and government employees.

"Impact Aid compensates school districts for the loss of tax revenue due to the military presence," said Nancy Prescott, school liaison officer of 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron. "The military presence increases enrollment, but reduces the tax base."

Every year, thousands of military and civilian families with school-age children enroll into public schools, but, according to Prescott "since military employees are non-taxable in public school systems, the state loses out on money."

"Impact Aid is used to offset the cost of educating military children," said Kay McKinley, deputy superintendent of Okaloosa County School District and military liaison for the state of Florida. "It can be used for supplies, teachers, better curriculum-anything."

McKinley and Prescott believe the key to adequate funding lies in parents filling out the Impact Aid cards they will receive in the mail.

"Impact Aid cards are usually sent home October or November," Prescott said. "More money in our schools benefits our children because the funds are used for expenses, such as supplies, equipment, programs and maintenance."

According to Prescott the cards for Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties are already out.

"Many of our military families are unaware that filling out the form brings more money to our education system," Prescott said.

For more information about Impact Aid, contact the Airman & Family Readiness Center at 884-5441

"It's very important to us that parents complete the federal impact cards," McKinley said. "Those cards tell us who is funded by the military and helps to get necessary supplies to better educate their children."