By Wallace White | The Daily Caller News Foundation
The Pentagon will draw up plans to assess and potentially improve homeschooling options for military-connected families, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a memo released Tuesday.
Hegseth directed acting Deputy Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Tim Dill to conduct a department-wide review of the current policy on homeschooling for military families and assess the “feasibility” of enacting new policies to support homeschooling, according to the memo released Tuesday.
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools for military families developed a reputation under former President Joe Biden’s administration for imposing left-wing initiatives such as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on students while lacking resources to properly accommodate and teach pupils.
The memo was issued in accordance with President Donald Trump’s January executive order calling for additional resources for military schools along with an overhaul to the broader education system.
“Through these efforts, the Department will uphold the directive to improve the education, well-being, and future success of military-connected students, supporting parents in choosing the best educational options for their children,” Hegseth wrote in the memo.
“Ensuring that military-connected families receive strong educational support maintains morale and readiness, reinforcing the overall stability and effectiveness of our military communities.”
DoDEA education, while ranking well above regular public schools in testing scores, still suffers from inflexibility and sometimes provides substandard education for kids, particularly those with special needs, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation into the Bahrain DoDEA system revealed in 2023.
Additionally, the Biden administration pushed materials produced by left-of-center organizations, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, encouraging students to engage in activism and pushing teachers to discuss “internalized racism” among themselves.
Moreover, the DoDEA paid tutoring company Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) nearly $2 million for services between 2019 and 2023; the company’s employees discussed how they integrate discussions about “power” and “privilege” in their teaching, while the firm itself expressed “solidarity” with the Black Lives Matter movement, according to OpenTheBooks, a group that advocates for transparency in government spending.
As of 2023, there were approximately 65,000 students enrolled in DoDEA schools, according to department statistics. Homeschooling is often an attractive option to parents that are concerned about the education content of public schools.
“This is vital to the Department and the quality of life of our Service members, who deserve no less,” Hegseth wrote in the memo.
DoDEA did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
First published on The Daily Caller
Hegseth Orders Review of Homeschool Support Efforts (DOD)
The Defense Department has initiated a review of the department’s existing support for homeschooling by military-connected families.
In a memorandum published today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness to begin a departmentwide review of how the U.S. military supports families who homeschool. The review will also look at best practices, including the ability of DOD to provide facilities or access to other resources for military-connected homeschooled students.
“Through these efforts, the department will uphold the directive to improve the education, well-being and future success of military-connected students, supporting parents in choosing the best educational options for their children,” Hegseth wrote. “Ensuring that military-connected families receive strong educational support maintains morale and readiness, reinforcing the overall stability and effectiveness of our military communities. This is vital to the department and the quality of life of our service members, who deserve no less.”
The new directive aligns with the department’s current review of options that support expanding educational choice for military-connected families. That review was initiated in January, within Executive Order 14191, in which President Donald J. Trump outlined the administration’s focus on expanding educational freedom for American families.
“The secretary of defense shall review any available mechanisms under which military-connected families may use funds from the Department of Defense to attend schools of their choice, including private, faith-based or public charter schools, and submit a plan to the president describing such mechanisms and the steps that would be necessary to implement them beginning in the 2025-26 school year,” the president’s executive order reads.
In a statement today, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs and Senior Advisor Sean Parnell said the effort will strengthen military families and enhance readiness.
“The department recognizes the vital role parents play in the education of their children and remains committed to providing military families with the flexibility and support necessary to choose the educational path that best meets their needs,” Parnell said. “Through this effort, the DOD will strengthen support for military-connected students and reinforce the readiness and quality of life of service members and their families.”
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