It’s been over two decades since the students of the Department of Defense and Guam Department of Education went to school together. Last week, Guam congressional delegate James Moylan sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense to consider a five-year plan to integrate them once again.

Back in 1997, DOD pulled the students of military service members out of the public schools and opened the DoDEA schools. It was not only a financial loss for the education department, but it separated the students.

GDOE deputy superintendent Joe Sanchez welcomes the having the DODEA students back on their campuses.

Sanchez told KUAM News, "It was kind of like a sign for us to say that, 'Hey, they don't think our education system is up to par; good enough to serve their students.' I think if they were to take this request, and...one, consider it seriously and actually decide to send their students to our system, I think it would be a great sign that we actually improved over the years."

Sanchez said that the department still has a lot of challenges with their facilities but that should stop the student bodies from merging

"Facilities is not the only thing," he noted. "That encompasses a school...you have to be safe and yes, you want to be modern. But really, what you're looking at is the teaching and learning and the resources that are provided to students. And that's something that we can be proud of now."

Students also liked the idea of going to school with the DoDEA students, believing they can learn from each other.

Kiera Luzano, a sophomore at Tiyan High, said an advantage could be, "A new language and life actually outside of the military base. The cultures mixing makes a good outcome from a learning stand point."

Fellow Titan Zachary Mendiola, a junior, added, "DoDEA is also diverse as well in culture, so you might find a student that you never know places about. It's a very, very high chance that more students you have the more culture you find in the diversity around."

Senior Angel Manalapaz from Tiyan shared, "We have to learn how to appreciate differences, where we come from, our backgrounds and stuff like that. So having DoDEA kids be a part of the public schools would be really amazing."

By entering into an agreement, Moylan said the integration would require an annual amount from the Department of Defense based on an “average-cost-per-student” formula, help infuse additional funds into GDOE’s budget which could also go to improve the infrastructure of the public schools.