{"id":71914,"date":"2022-09-28T16:54:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-28T16:54:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2022\/09\/28\/dod-considers-universal-pre-kindergarten-for-4-year-old-military-kids\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T14:47:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T14:47:31","slug":"dod-considers-universal-pre-kindergarten-for-4-year-old-military-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2022\/09\/28\/dod-considers-universal-pre-kindergarten-for-4-year-old-military-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"DoD considers universal pre-kindergarten for 4-year-old military kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Full-day universal pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds is being considered by Department of Defense officials, one of several efforts under way that would open learning opportunities for more military children through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/pay-benefits\/2021\/10\/04\/dod-schools-navigate-the-pandemic-with-mostly-open-classrooms-and-low-infection-rates\/\" target=\"_blank\">Department of Defense Education Activity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other efforts include an ongoing pilot program that allows some military children living outside the installation to apply to attend on-base <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/the-home-front\/2022\/01\/25\/students-scores-in-dod-schools-among-highest-in-the-nation-report-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">DoD schools<\/a> in the continental U.S.; and a pilot program that allows military children in rural areas to apply for the DoDEA Virtual High School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A decision from DoD leadership is expected within a few weeks on DoDEA\u2019s proposal to offer free, full-day pre-kindergarten for all 4-year-old children on installations with DoDEA schools, said Thomas Brady, director of DoDEA, in a recent interview with Military Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Their proposal asks for the authority and funds to offer the universal pre-kindergarten. \u201cI\u2019m very heartened by the fact that it\u2019s gotten positive and thoughtful comments in the process as we have gone through the bureaucracy,\u201d he said, noting that senior leadership in DoD\u2019s personnel and readiness division are \u201cbig advocates for DoDEA universal pre-K.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Details would have to be worked out on where and how the 4-year-old pre-K would be offered, and how DoDEA would work with on-base child development centers and family child care homes, which offer programs for 4-year-olds. One source said it could be a combination of locations, with DoDEA elementary schools being the likely location for 4-year-olds overseas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Military family advocates have supported pre-kindergarten for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/your-military\/2022\/09\/08\/how-bad-is-the-child-care-shortage-ask-florida-military-families\/\" target=\"_blank\">military children<\/a>. The Biden administration\u2019s proposal to offer universal pre-kindergarten for all 3- and 4-year old American children failed to make it into law this year. But advocates noted that the proposed legislation wouldn\u2019t have included DoDEA schools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur goal is to get universal pre-k for OCONUS DoD schools, then ensure it\u2019s available to CONUS,\u201d said Jen Goodale, director of military family policy and spouse programs for the Military Officers Association of America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said MOAA is reaching out to the military school liaisons and to child and youth program directors, to get their input about universal pre-k. These school liaisons are links between military parents, installation leaders and education officials on base and in the local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supporters of universal pre-k contend that high-quality, earlier education can make a positive difference in a child\u2019s future. Some states have pre-kindergarten programs, but it\u2019s a patchwork of different programs and eligibility. There has been some concern about the impact on staffing, enrollment and fee structures of child development centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/management\/pay-benefits\/2022\/01\/25\/students-scores-in-dod-schools-among-highest-in-the-nation-report-says\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"156\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Crossreads-ES.Quantico.teacher.png.png?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Students\u2019 scores in DoD schools among highest in the nation, report says<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Students with disabilities and Black and Hispanic students also scored consistently higher than their peers, according to the analysis conducted by the Government Accountability Office.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Universal pre-K for 4-year-olds could extend beyond the gates of the installation and eligibility to attend DoDEA schools. Brady said DoD officials have asked how the program could be expanded to installations nationwide, so that military children in areas where there are no DoDEA schools would have access to the program. A decision hasn\u2019t been made yet, but there could possibly be a study on how to expand universal pre-K to military children across the board, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur position is that we fully support it \u2026 but we have an opportunity to do it for DoDEA. Let\u2019s go ahead and start that, and then assist in how we can do it in other places,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There has long been a critical shortage of child care for military families in many locations. If a DoDEA program were open to all 4-year-old military children, it could fill some of the need for families, said Caitlin Hamon, deputy director for government relations of the National Military Family Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere are a lot of benefits to early education,\u201d she said. \u201cMany military child development centers are already overwhelmed. This provides another venue for child education and child care,\u201d she said, adding it also provides some stability and continuity in education for mobile military children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">DoDEA operates 160 schools in 11 foreign countries, seven states, Guam and Puerto Rico, with more than 66,000 students. The vast majority of military children in the United States attend schools off post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"690\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Opening-day-2022-at-Dexter-Elementary-School.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-105877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Opening-day-2022-at-Dexter-Elementary-School.jpg.jpg 960w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Opening-day-2022-at-Dexter-Elementary-School.jpg.jpg?resize=300,216 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Opening-day-2022-at-Dexter-Elementary-School.jpg.jpg?resize=768,552 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A child receives a welcoming high-five during opening day at Dexter Elementary School on Fort Benning, Georgia. (DoDEA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pilot program allows more military kids in DoDEA schools<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A pilot program allowing children of active duty members who live off base to apply to attend on-base DoDEA schools is going strong, Brady said. It\u2019s being tested at four of the 13 installations in the U.S. where DoDEA operates schools for military children. Normally, the schools are open only to military children who live on the installation. Parents in the pilot program provide the transportation to and from schools for their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s no surprise that it\u2019s been remarkably well-received,\u201d said Brady. The pilot program started in 2021 with Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and has expanded to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina; Fort Jackson, South Carolina; and Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Virginia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Officials haven\u2019t yet determined whether the program will be expanded to other locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPrudently, we have to finish the pilot and then have to figure how many additional resources it would take to expand it to other installations in the U.S., because quite frankly, it\u2019s very, very expensive,\u201d Brady said. \u201cWe\u2019d have to have full support from the services, and we\u2019d have to request that we continue this expansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cRight now we\u2019re very pleased. We\u2019re getting some very good statistics of interest, so then we go to the next step, which is do the services want this expanded, and are we willing to pay to get these additional resources to make it happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are limitations on how many children can be accepted because of space and the number of teachers they can hire, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Maxwell AFB, there were 330 applications from military parents wanting their children to attend, and so far they\u2019ve approved 113, Brady said. At Camp Lejeune, there were 465 applications, and 141 have received approval. \u201cThe takeaway is that we\u2019re delighted that we have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/the-home-front\/2022\/01\/25\/students-scores-in-dod-schools-among-highest-in-the-nation-report-says\/\" target=\"_blank\">quality schools <\/a>that parents are comfortable with sending their children,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">NMFA\u2019s Hamon said she\u2019s heard positive comments from military families about the pilot program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cDoDEA has a set of education standards much more aligned across the board. So no matter where they PCS, families can get continuity of education.\u201d She recently attended an event for school liaison officers, and they \u201cwere raving about the pilot program, so they seem to be happy with it, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Offering DoDEA virtual high school to more military kids<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another ongoing pilot program is allowing military children in rural areas or who are home-schooled to enroll in DoDEA\u2019s Virtual High School. There are currently 40 students enrolled in the Expanded Eligibility Pilot Program, with 50 course enrollments. Students are limited to two courses per academic year. The most popular courses are foreign languages, computer software coding and Advanced Placement courses. Students don\u2019t have to be connected to an installation where there\u2019s a DoDEA school, and they\u2019re currently located across the U.S., including Alaska, Hawaii, Utah, Texas and Louisiana. The pilot program\u2019s definition of \u201crural\u201d is tied to the definition in a federal housing law, based on population and other factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The virtual high school serves students in grades 9 through 12. This pilot program is for students who aren\u2019t currently eligible to enroll in the virtual high school and require extra courses to meet graduation requirements in their current state, or otherwise demonstrate a clear need to participate in the virtual high school program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s pretty interesting. We\u2019re keeping an eye on this one,\u201d Brady said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Other efforts include programs to allow kids outside the installation to attend on-base DoD schools and rural kids to attend DoDEA&#8217;s Virtual High School.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":105873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":65,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,23,89,12,26,15,18,65],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3300],"class_list":["post-71914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-home","category-middle-column","category-news","category-newsletters","category-pay-benefits","category-spouse","category-your-navy"],"acf":{"subheadline":"Other efforts are under way to expand enrollment to more military kids in DoD 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