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January 24, 2017October 5, 2018Doug Mesecar and Don Soifer

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Better Serving Those Who Serve: Improving the Educational Opportunities of Military-Connected Students

January 24, 2017October 5, 2018Doug Mesecar and Don Soifer

Key Findings

Click here to download the full report as PDF.

This report assesses the performance of schools in four states with large concentrations of active-duty military personnel who have children in the public school systems. They are Colorado, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia. The data, based in part on a common test provided to public school students around the country (the National Assessment of Education Progress or NAEP), present a picture of wide disparity, one in which the academic performance of students in states with military-connected children varies dramatically.

Among our findings:

  • A shortage of high-quality educational options for military-connected families and students — from schools to programs within schools — often restricts educational opportunities, negatively impacts educational achievement, causes military families to make tough housing choices, inhibits quick assimilation into school communities, and can reduce a family’s satisfaction with a military career.
  • The underlying causes driving the quality of educational experiences for military-connected children are largely consistent and cluster around four key areas: uneven ability to participate in available educational options; inconsistent content and achievement standards from state to state; limited support for military-connected students; and less effective state and school district policies to identify and support military-connected families and students.
  • The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, a state-by-state effort to examine and recommend policies and practices affecting military-connected students, can be an effective tool. While Virginia is a leader in implementing the Compact, North Carolina and especially Missouri and Colorado lag behind in utilizing this important lever for strengthening the educational experiences of military-connected students.

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