ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — July 12, 2012 — The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Educational Partnership awarded a $1,350,000 grant to the Medical Lake School District through the Fiscal Year (FY12) Grant Program.

There are over a million school age children from military families, with the majority attending public schools throughout our nation. DoDEA is committed to supporting educational outcomes for ALL children of military families. As the largest geographically dispersed school system in the nation, serving approximately 86,000 students worldwide, DoDEA shares its experience and resources with military-connected public school districts.

"Through outreach and partnerships DoDEA has the opportunity to support efforts to increase student success, provide professional development for teachers, implement practices that minimize the impact of transitions and deployment, and provide access to rigorous educational opportunities," said Kathleen Facon, Chief of the DoDEA's Educational Partnership Program.

Facon noted that DoDEA received many high-quality proposals for innovative programs and initiatives to support military connected students. This year's grant competition was focused on programs that:

1) infuse Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) principles throughout the curriculum;
2) establish or expand foreign language learning; and/or
3) programs that include ongoing, systemic strategies for parent and family engagement.

"This amazing opportunity will help military students find the support and learning resources to prepare them for the demands and challenges of the 21st Century," said Dr. Pamela Veltri, Superintendent of Medical Lake School District.

"Using rigor and relevance in an integrated curriculum, students will be immersed in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math from elementary school throughout high school," Veltri added. "Students will explore, learn and innovate as their skills, knowledge and abilities prepare them to be strong contenders for the careers of the future."

For the FY12 grant program, competitive priority points were awarded if the school district had not previously received a DoDEA grant award, and if one or more of the eligible schools has a military student enrollment of 50 percent or more.

The grant will fund increased efforts to prepare students with the skills and knowledge needed for the 21st Century. We will provide high levels of rigor and relevance while offering an integrated curriculum in which students are challenged to perform at high levels of thinking while incorporating STEM.

"Supporting our military students will be a key to student success," Veltri said. "Through family programs and, individual student support both academically and emotionally, the Medical Lake School District will help prepare students for successful adulthood."

DoDEA awarded more than $35 million in grants this year. The grants were awarded to 26 military-connected public school districts to strengthen family-school-community relationships and enhance student achievement for military connected students.

To be eligible for participation in the grant, the district must have an active military-connected student population of 5% or more, with a population of 15% or more military-connected students at the school level. Although funding levels are related to military student enrollment, the proposed programs will serve all students at the target schools.

DoDEA consists of the Department of Defense Dependents Schools located overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools located in the U.S. and its territories and possessions. DoDEA provides education to eligible DoD military and civilian dependents from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. DoDEA also provides support and resources to Local Education Activities throughout the U.S. that serve children of military families.