The state Department of Education was awarded two grants from the state Department of Defense Education Activity to support initiatives enhancing world language programs in the Aiea-Moanalua-Radford and Kailua-Kalaheo Complex Areas.

DoDEA — which provides quality education to military dependents globally — will collaborate with DOE to expand opportunities at Hawaii public schools with large populations of military-­dependent ­students.

Since 2008, DoDEA has invested approximately $32.5 million in grant-funded initiatives at Hawaii public schools to improve student achievement.

“We are tremendously grateful for DoDEA’s continuing support and our students are looking forward to new learning opportunities in world languages,” John Erickson, Aiea-Moanalua-Radford Complex Area Superintendent, said in a statement Friday. “The funding will help to hire new language teachers, integrate new technology with real-world learning and provide students with a deeper, more robust, language curriculum throughout our K-12 pipeline.”

The Aiea-Moanalua-­Radford Complex Area was awarded $2 million over five years to develop a K-12 world language pathway, expanding language instruction at the elementary and middle school levels and encouraging high school students to pursue advanced language courses.

The grant will serve Aliamanu Elementary, Aliamanu Middle, Aiea Intermediate and Radford High.

The Kailua-Kalaheo Complex Area received a $1.25 million grant to increase access to Spanish and Japanese language instruction for K-6 military-­connected students and to enhance the K-12 world language pipeline through out-of-school-time learning experiences.

The grant will support Aikahi, Kainalu, Keolu, Maunawili and Mokapu elementary schools.