Military students could get priority in school choice

The bill would make being connected to a military member a point of priority for Delaware students looking to choice into a school. (Photo by avid_creative/iStock Getty Images)

Military families in Delaware could receive a scholastic perk in the world of school choice with a new bill that unanimously was voted for in the House Education Committee Wednesday afternoon.

House Bill 354, sponsored by Rep. Nnamdi Chukwuocha, D-Wilmington, gives the dependent children of active military members, full-time Delaware National Guard members, and active duty members of a reserve component of the US military priority in choice and charter enrollment.

The bill would put military-connected fourth on the priority list for schools accepting choice students.

Above it would be:

1. To returning students who continue to meet the requirements for the program or school, including students graduating from 1 school to another within a single program.
2. To students who meet the requirements for the program or school and who seek to attend based upon the residence of the student’s parent within the designated feeder pattern, if any, for the school.
3. To the siblings of students currently enrolled in the school or in a program in accordance with the second priority on the list who will be returning to the school for the following academic year, provided that any siblings seeking priority under this paragraph meet the requirements for the program or school. Priority must be given to siblings of students who live in the reorganized school district where the school is located, and may be given to siblings of students who do not live in the reorganized school district where the school is located.

Committee Chair Rep. Kim Williams, D-Marshallton, was concerned about language in the bill that would mandate traditional schools to adopt the priority, but it doesn’t require an adoption by charter schools.

“When you have military families moving here, or relocating, it will be confusing,” Williams said. “They will be very confused about why [districts]  have to follow this but charter schools will not have to follow.”

Chukwuocha said he’d be happy to work on an amendment that would create the same mandate for district and charter schools. 

First State Educate, an organization aiming to reform education in Delaware, stated that it appreciates the government’s recognition of the sacrifices made by our service men and women. 

“We see the legislature’s efforts to prioritize military families and promote school choice as something that can promote equity and expand options for all students, if implemented correctly,” the organization said in a statement. 

Scott Kidner, president of the board of First State Military Academy, supported the bill.

“That is a pretty significant component of the number of kids we have,” he said. “A lot of moms and dads who have served or had prior service see our school and want to attend, and it has been very helpful, so we rise in support.”

Kendall Massett, executive director of the Delaware Charter Schools Network, said the organization “absolutely supports” the bill, and said she would work with Williams to iron out the technicalities of charter school requirements. 

HB 354 will next be discussed by the full House body. 

Jarek Rutz

Raised in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Jarek earned a B.A. in journalism and a B.A. in political science from Temple University in 2021. After running CNN’s Michael Smerconish’s YouTube channel, Jarek became a reporter for the Bucks County Herald before joining Delaware LIVE News.

Jarek can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at (215) 450-9982. Follow him on Twitter @jarekrutz