STUDY ON OPTIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ATTENDED BY SUCH CHILDREN ARE DETERMINED TO NEED IMPROVEMENT.

SEC. 537. STUDY ON OPTIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEPENDENT CHILDREN OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES WHEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ATTENDED BY SUCH CHILDREN ARE DETERMINED TO NEED IMPROVEMENT.(a) Study on Options for Educational Opportunities.—(1) Study required.—The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, conduct a study on options for educational opportunities that are, or may be, available for dependent children of members of the Armed Forces who do not attend Department of Defense dependents’ schools when the public elementary and secondary schools attended by such children are determined to be in need of improvement pursuant to section 1116(b) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6316(b)).(2) Options.—The options to be considered under the study required by paragraph (1) may include the following:(A) Education programs offered through the Internet, including programs that are provided by the Department of Defense through the Internet.(B) Charter schools.(C) Such other public school options as the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, considers appropriate for purposes of the study.(3) Elements.—The study required by paragraph (1) shall address the following matters:(A) The challenges faced by parents of military families in securing quality elementary and secondary education for their children when the public elementary and secondary schools attended by their children are identified as being in need of improvement.(B) The extent to which perceptions of differing degrees of quality in public elementary and secondary schools in different regions of the United States affect plans of military families to relocate, including relocation pursuant to a permanent change of duty station.(C) The various reasons why military families seek educational opportunities for their children other than those available through local public elementary and secondary schools.(D) The current level of student achievement in public elementary and secondary schools in school districts which have a high percentage of students who are children of military families.(E) The educational needs of children of military families who are required by location to attend public elementary and secondary schools identified as being in need of improvement.(F) The value and impact of other alternative educational programs for military families.123 STAT. 2294(G) The extent to which the options referred to in paragraph (2) would provide a meaningful option for education for military children when the public elementary and secondary schools attended by such children are determined to be in need of improvement.(H) The extent to which the options referred to in paragraph (2) would improve the quality of education available for students with special needs, including students with learning disabilities and gifted students.(I) Such other matters as the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Education consider appropriate for purposes of the study.(b) Report.—Not later than March 31, 2010, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Education and Labor of the House of Representatives a report on the study required by subsection (a). The report shall include the following:(1) A description of the results of the study.(2) Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, considers appropriate in light of the results of the study.