Base Realignment Impacts Schools in Growth Communities

The Unintended Consequences of BRAC on Growth Communities

Selected regions of the country will soon experience a surge in growth resulting from the federal legislation of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Act (BRAC). The rationale supporting this multi-billion dollar legislation quantifies several well-intended national military objectives. However, a closer inspection of BRAC reveals both risks and opportunities for many growth communities surrounding military bases across America.

There are two distinct effects emerging from the BRAC implementation. On one side of this equation are military bases in several states designated to close and the anticipated loss of military-related populations. On the other side are military bases and regions gaining significant populations.

Congress purposefully provided necessary financial relief and benefits for regions loosing a military presence as a result of BRAC. Without federal financial assistance, long-established military communities slated to downsize may not be able to transition into viable economies. This makes good sense.

Unfortunately, Congress and the Department of Defense (DOD) expended little thought or planning for the regions across America that would be gaining military and civilian growth. Thus, little federal discussion has been generated regarding the potential negative implications on communities anticipating growth. The “tsunami effect” of sudden unpredictable population increases could have devastating implications for existing community infrastructures and services.

One example will be the significant impact on America’s public schools across growing military regions of the country. At least fifty school divisions in the proximity of twelve expanding military bases are adversely affected. Military families bring with them school-aged children, and no less than 100,000 military children will be enrolling in public schools nationally between 2008-2014. Without the capacity to absorb such large numbers of school-age children, public schools are certain to be overwhelmed.

The Fort Lee communities of Dinwiddie, Petersburg, Prince George, Colonial Heights, Chesterfield and Hopewell will experience the direct impact of increased military, contractors, and civilian defense personnel. All community services will be affected, but none as severely as public schools. According to the 2006 Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Impact Study (EIS) possibly as many as 4,700 new school age children will enter Southside Virginia schools in the next few years around Fort Lee.

The problem isn’t necessarily one of quantity alone. The distribution of students poses some interesting challenges. For example, if twenty-four children enter an elementary school operating at capacity and by chance all are fifth graders, then an investment of $100,000 (cost of a classroom) and $50,000 (cost of a teacher) will be needed. If these children are distributed four at each grade level (K,1,2,3,4,5), then $600,000 (six additional classrooms) and $300,000 (six additional teachers) may be needed. Thus twenty-four children alone could generate an initial investment range of $150,000 to $900,000.


According to recent EIS projections, sixteen new schools may be needed in Southside Virginia. Regional school construction and renovation costs could exceed 750 million dollars. Nationally, this figure rises to about $ 3 billion. Few area schools have the luxury of empty classroom space, and few local budgets have the capacity to hire additional qualified teachers and support staff to address this problem.

In an age of an all-volunteer military designed to defend and protect the interests of the United States against threats of terror, the fabric of the military family itself is at stake in the high-stakes BRAC gamble to uproot families. Compounding this issue are three additional factors: The transition of military forces, global debasing, and the continuing war in Iran and Afghanistan.

Presently, military families are at a high risk of unraveling due in part to the pressures and assignments imposed on them to fight the global war on terror. Military families already post unusually high divorce and separation rates, and recent studies indicated that spousal and child abuse rates soar above national norms. Thus, the “no room at the inn” theme will not play well among uprooted military families attempting to enroll children in the region’s public schools. Would it not be ironic for those serving in the United States military services who fought and sacrificed in the Middle East post-September 11, 2001 era to have another battle on hand when they return home? The battle to enroll their children in overcrowded public schools!

It is imperative that we do everything possible to provide for the quality of military life in communities gaining military families. I have been to Washington dozens of times requesting assistance as a leader of the Seven Rivers Coalition for Military Growth. Unfortunately, the Department of Defense, Department of Education, and even Congress itself appears content to “push the problem downstream”. This is federal speak for “the local taxpayer”. Not one person I met in Washington denies the validity of the problem, nor has one offered any real financial assistance. Perhaps the new administrative team taking office after January 20, 2009 under President Obama will take a pro-active approach to solving this dilemma.

So who really gains from sudden economic development and growth? Should localities be forced to bear all of the expense for new schools? How does this affect the local taxpayer? These questions deserve answers.

The positive impact of an increase in regional economic activity may not be realized for decades or more, and even then money will be needed for additional services such as police, fire, emergency response, human services, hospitals, recreation, and new roads, to name a few. BRAC may have good intentions, but the dark side of this equation could have devastating and lasting negative effects on our schools and communities in the growing years ahead, and especially for children of military dependants.