Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–July 9, 2013. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced today that the Department of Defense will award almost $20 million in grants to public schools serving military children. The grants are administered by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) through its Educational Partnership Grant Program, which enhances student learning opportunities, student achievement and educator professional development at military-connected public schools.
During a speech at the Military Child Education Coalition’s 15th Annual National Training Seminar at the Gaylord National Hotel and Training Center at National Harbor, Md., Hagel announced the first grants awarded in 2013 will go to 15 public school districts that serve 23 military installations across the country. These schools will apply the grants to their science, technology, engineering, mathematics and foreign language programs.
“Our goal is to make sure every military-connected school-age child gets a quality education, wherever they are in the world,” Hagel said. “DoD will continue to collaborate with states, local school districts, the Department of Education, and organizations like the Military Child Education Coalition to achieve this goal.”
Today’s announcement represents the first of two grant opportunities open to public schools that serve military-connected families. A second opportunity is available for school districts to submit grant proposals as a consortium. Those applications are due July 12; awards will be made in late August. The DoDEA Educational Partnership Grant Program is open to school districts with a military dependent student population of at least five percent; participating schools must have a military dependent student population of at least 15 percent.
Since 2009, the department has awarded 186 grants, totaling more than $220 million and reaching more than 750,000 students. The amount of the awards is based on military student enrollment and ranges from $135,000 to $2,500,000, depending on the number of military students at the target schools.
For a complete list of schools awarded the grants, go to http://www.dodea.edu .
Source: defense.gov
