Identifying Curriculum and Instruction Factors Affecting Military Families’ School Choice Decision: A Qualitative Case Study

Abstract

Active-duty military members lead a primarily transient lifestyle because they are subject to frequent mandatory relocation. Military families with school-age children and adolescents must consider how to provide appropriate educational opportunities and consistency in educational offerings before, during, and after a military move. The problem is the factors affecting military active-duty families’ educational decisions upon reassignment are unknown. The purpose of the qualitative case study was to explore which factors might influence the decision-making process and educational choices of United States Air Force (USAF) active-duty military families upon mandatory relocation, specifically as the decision-making relates to the curriculum and instruction offerings at available schools. Literature exists on the unique needs of military members, such as mental health concerns, and information about the general population selecting alternate school options based on the curriculum or instructional methods offered, but there is a gap in the literature related to military families seeking out school options, which this study sought to address. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and a focus group of 17 military-affiliated families, all who recently experienced a military move. A thematic, inductive approach was used for data analysis, and four themes emerged. Data from the findings indicated that prior to relocation, military families seek out advice from multiple sources regarding school options, and using that advice, the majority of families ultimately select some type of public school option, including magnet or charter schools.