For the first time ever, military schools have begun enrolling students for a new, full-day universal prekindergarten program.
The new Department of Defense Education Activity pre-K program is set to start at the beginning of next school year with enrollment and has long been sought by military families, especially those with two working parents, including dual-military couples. Now, 80 of 90 DoDEA schools will host the universal program, with enrollment opened for school starting this fall.
“It really adds a lot more into the support we can provide to military families,” Will Griffin, the communications director for DoDEA, told Military.com in an interview Thursday.
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Pre-K is already offered at some DoD schools, but not everywhere. In many cases, when it is offered, the program allows only half-day enrollment, leaving many working parents to come up with alternative child care solutions.
The initiative, fueled by $94 million in a defense spending bill passed by Congress last month, is open to all children eligible to attend DoDEA schools who will be 4 years old by Sept. 1. It will follow the widely used early childhood development “Creative Curriculum.”
The program is set to open after undergoing a successful pilot program last year at an elementary school at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Griffin said.
The 10 schools that will…
