Military families assigned to Hawai'i continue to have concerns about the quality of education their children receive in Island schools, despite the fact their children's test scores exceed the national average, according to information made public by the Joint Venture Education Forum yesterday.

"We continue to find negative perceptions of people coming into the Hawai'i community and we continue to try to change that," Lt. Col. Kenneth Sersun, the liaison between the military and the Department of Education, said at the JVEF annual meeting yesterday.

The civilian/military forum expects to focus this year on getting more complete information out to military families before they arrive in Hawai'i, including success stories about Island schools, as well as personal experiences by other military families.

Leslye Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy, said this is a particularly important time for Hawai'i to look at these issues because "more and more families will be asked to come here."

Over the past few years, satisfaction with Hawai'i's schools has generally been improving among military families, according to annual surveys that began in 2000.

Although the current survey results will not be available until August, Leilehua and Radford high schools were commended yesterday for the strides they've made in welcoming military students by creating "transition centers" for new students. — a movement where Hawai'i schools have been in the forefront.

"Leilehua certainly has outshined all the schools I've been at, and I've been at a lot," said military dependent Vanessa Drake, a 2006 graduate.

Alex Martin, a senior at Radford, had equally high praise for the way counselors helped new students. "We move every two years," said Martin, whose father is in the Air Force, "and I was surprised there was something called a transition center. I was welcomed by students and teachers and it helped me get to know the school."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com.