Hegseth has good news for military families trapped in gov’t schools

The Pentagon will draw up plans to assess and potentially improve homeschooling options for military-connected families, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a memo released Tuesday.

Hegseth directed Acting Undersecretary for Personnel and Readiness Tim Dill to conduct a department-wide review of the current policy on homeschooling for military families and assess the “feasibility” of enacting new policies to support homeschooling, according to the memo released Tuesday. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools for military families developed a reputation under former President Joe Biden’s administration for imposing left-wing initiatives such as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on students while lacking resources to properly accommodate and teach pupils.

The memo was issued in accordance with President Donald Trump’s January executive order calling for additional resources for military schools, along with an overhaul to the broader education system.

“Through these efforts, the Department will uphold the directive to improve the education, well-being, and future success of military-connected students, supporting parents in choosing the best educational options for their children,” Hegseth wrote in the memo. “Ensuring that military-connected families receive strong educational support maintains morale and readiness, reinforcing the overall stability and effectiveness of our military communities.”

DoDEA education, while ranking well above regular public schools in testing scores, still suffers from inflexibility and sometimes provides substandard education for kids, particularly those with special needs, a Daily Caller News Foundation investigation into the Bahrain DoDEA system revealed in 2023. Additionally, the Biden administration pushed materials produced by left-of-center organizations, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, encouraging students to engage in activism and pushing teachers to discuss “internalized racism” among themselves.

Moreover, the DoDEA paid tutoring company Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) nearly $2 million for services between 2019 and 2023; the company’s employees discussed how they integrate discussions about “power” and “privilege” in their teaching, while the firm itself expressed “solidarity” with the Black Lives Matter movement, according to OpenTheBooks, a group that advocates for transparency in government spending.

As of 2023, there were approximately 65,000 students enrolled in DoDEA schools, according to department statistics. Homeschooling is often an attractive option to parents who are concerned about the educational content of public schools.

“This is vital to the Department and the quality of life of our Service members, who deserve no less,” Hegseth wrote in the memo.

DoDEA did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.

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