More than 100 institutions of higher education have agreed to train future educators to recognize the needs of military dependent children, under a program led by Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joseph Biden. The program, Operation Educate the Educators, was unveiled by Biden Oct. 3 at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The participating colleges and universities will implement protocols that make the future teachers in their education programs know how to reach out to the military families in their classrooms. “As a military mom and as Second Lady, I have heard over and over from military families just how important it is that school be a supportive environment for children. Military children on average attend six to nine different school systems. Through each transition, they are faced with leaving their friends, and adjusting to new schools and new surroundings, all of which can affect a student’s opportunity to achieve academic success,” said Biden. “As a teacher, this issue is particularly close to my heart. Through Operation Educate the Educators, I know future educators across the country will be better prepared to make a difference in the life of a military child.” Sponsoring the program are the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and the Military Child Education Coalition.
