Gives Support to Schools Providing Education to Military Children

Washington, DC, Aug 16, 2006 - U.S. Congressman John Carter (TX-31) today joined colleagues in urging increased funding for the Impact Aid program, which provides support to local school districts that enroll federally connected children, including military dependent children. In letters to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, members outlined the need for additional funding for this valuable education program. They also asked the secretaries to inform the schools and communities affected by Global Rebasing, Army Modularization, and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) about the timing of the movements and the number of students entering their schools.

“Providing our military families with an enhanced quality of life remains a top priority of mine. By increasing funding for Impact Aid, the communities surrounding Fort Hood will continue to provide all military children with a quality education,” Congressman Carter said. “Especially at a time when a large number of military families will be moving to new communities, we must ensure that Impact Aid is sufficiently funded to meet these changing needs.”

The letter points to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that has determined that Global Rebasing, Army Modularization, and BRAC will further threaten the ability of Impact Aid to provide education to federally connected children. According to the Department of Defense, roughly 40,000 school-age children will be making their way into stateside school systems over the next few years due to Global Rebasing. Currently, the Impact Aid program as a whole will have to absorb the cost of educating these children without an increase in funding, resulting in a significant reduction in payments to all school districts impacted by a federal presence.

Congressman Carter joined fellow Texas Representatives Silvestre Reyes and Solomon Ortiz in signing this request for Impact Aid.