Pentagon officials on Tuesday announced a new review of Defense Department support programs for homeschooled students in military families, part of a larger administration effort to expand education options from kindergarten through high school.
The review, directed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this month, calls for officials to evaluate “current support for homeschooling military-connected families, as well as best practices, including the feasibility of providing facilities or access to other resources for those students.”
In his memo, Hegseth said the move is needed because “ensuring that military-connected families receive strong educational support maintains morale and readiness, reinforcing the overall stability and effectiveness of our military communities.”
Homeschooling is more common among military families than in the civilian population, in part because of the frequent moves and remote assignments of service members.
A Johns Hopkins University study released in March found that in 2024, about 12% of military families homeschooled their children, compared to about 6% for the nonmilitary American population. That gap remained consistent even during the COVID-19 pandemic, which temporarily shuttered schools nationwide.
The Defense Department operates 161 schools with roughly 67,000 students worldwide to help offset the challenges of providing education to military minors. The department does not require students to be enrolled in those schools, and does not have an official stance supporting or opposing homeschooling.
However, some states or foreign countries may have eligibility requirements for homeschooling. Defense Department officials in the past have said parents are responsible for ensuring compliance with those rules.
In an executive order from January, President Donald Trump ordered military leaders to submit a report on ways to expand schooling options for military children, “including private, faith-based, or public charter schools.” Hegseth said his homeschooling order is an extension of that effort.
The Department of Defense Education Activity does make some classes and resources available to homeschooled students, but the latest review aims to see if that assistance is enough.
Officials did not specify when the homeschooling review is expected to be completed.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
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