{"id":29246,"date":"2018-02-27T17:22:51","date_gmt":"2018-02-27T17:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/27\/commentary-school-choice-for-military-families-will-save-dod-money\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T02:45:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T02:45:05","slug":"commentary-school-choice-for-military-families-will-save-dod-money","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/opinion\/commentary\/2018\/02\/27\/commentary-school-choice-for-military-families-will-save-dod-money\/","title":{"rendered":"Commentary: School choice for military families will save DoD money"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor\u2019s note:<\/b> The following is an opinion piece. The writer is not employed by Military Times and the views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of Military Times or its editorial staff.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n

School choice for military families is an idea whose time has come, according to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Her support of the idea, announced at this year\u2019s Conservative Political Action Conference<\/a>, is one that should resonate with readers of Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2017, Military Times conducted a survey of its readers<\/a> that yielded striking findings: 35 percent of respondents said that dissatisfaction with their child\u2019s education was a \u201csignificant factor\u201d in their decision to remain in or leave military service. What\u2019s more, 40 percent of respondents said that they \u201chave either declined or would decline a career-advancing job at a different installation to remain at their current military facility because of high performing schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their children\u2019s education<\/a> means a lot to service members. And that means a lot for military recruitment and retention issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our service members have volunteered to put themselves in harm\u2019s way to protect the U.S. and its standing on the world stage. It is, to say the least, a stress-inducing commitment. The last thing our active-duty military should have to worry about is whether their children are in safe and effective schools<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But they do. So much so that more than a third have considered leaving military service altogether because of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This situation can have major ramifications for military retention efforts, which can cost the Defense Department and taxpayers handsomely.<\/p>\n\n\n\t