The Pentagon has confirmed that it is looking into the Defense Department’s present support for schooling for American military people.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directed the secretary of defence for personnel and preparation to do a Department-wide review of the Defense Department’s” present support for homeschooling military-connected families, as well as best practices, including the possibility of providing facilities or access to additional resources for those students, in a memorandum  sent to top Pentagon leaders earlier this month.
Hegseth stated that the division will support parents in choosing the best educational options for their children through these efforts and uphold the law to strengthen the training, well-being, and potential success of military-connected students. Making sure military-connected families receive a lot of educational support “maintens morale and readiness,” which strengthens our military communities ‘ overall stability and effectiveness. This is crucial for the department and the service members’ quality of life, who “deserve nothing less.”
Hegseth’s most recent memo on homeschooling for military families, according to the Defense Department, is in line with the Pentagon’s ongoing search for new options to expand educational options for families with connections to the U.S. military. The Pentagon’s review of educational options for military families was initiated following President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 14191 in January, according to the department.
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In the executive order, Trump directed Hegseth to “review any available mechanisms” that allow military-connected families to enroll in public charter schools, including private, religious, or private schools, and to submit a plan to the president describing such mechanisms and the steps that would be required to start implementing them as soon as the 2025-26 school year.
In contrast to roughly 6 % of nonmilitary families in the United States, according to a recent study by Johns Hopkins University, roughly 12 % of U.S. military families chose to homeschool their children in 2024. Due to the frequent maneuvers that U.S. military personnel and their families are frequently required to make, many U.S. military families choose to homeschool their children, according to Military Times.
Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs Sean Parnell said in a statement on Tuesday that the government had reviewed the support for homeschooling for military families:” The department recognizes the crucial role parents play in the education of their children and continues to support military families with the flexibility and support necessary to choose the educational path that best meets their needs.”
Parnell continued,” Through this effort, the DOD will strengthen support for military-connected students and increase the readiness and quality of life of service members and their families.”
