ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — June 21, 2012 — The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Educational Partnership awarded a $2 million grant to the Geary County School District through the 2012 Fiscal Year Grant Program.

The School District serves students whose parents are stationed at Fort Riley.

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.

"USD 475 is proud to team with the Department of Defense Education Activity in the form of the STEM grant with the goal of transforming science education," said Ronald P. Walker, Superintendent, Geary County 475. "We will use the latest technology and research as we work with Kansas State University, the National Science Foundation and other research-based institutions to provide our students with the greatest science experience in America!"

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 Steam into STEM, a program aimed at improving STEM-related student achievement in science and mathematics at three secondary schools (Grade 6-12) that serve families of Fort Riley Army Base and Junction City in north-central Kansas. The strategies are to: engage students in STEM activities; infuse new technology into curriculum; and provide professional development.

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.