Family & Individual Help: Department Of Defense Dependents' Overseas Schools
Family Resources: DoD Education Activity
Schools
Because military families are often expected to live abroad in areas
where quality schools may be dificult to find, the Department of Defense
(DoD) is required to provide the opportunity for military dependents
to get a quality education. This benefit is available for minor dependents
of U.S. active duty military and DoD civilian personnel stationed
abroad. DoD dependent's schools are established and staffed by highly
qualified teachers and administrators.
The Department of
Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is the civilian agency of the
U.S. Department of Defense that operates these DoD schools. DoDEA
It is headed by a director who oversees all agency functions from
DoDEA headquarters in Arlington,Virginia. DoDEA's schools are divided
into three areas, each of which is managed by an area director. Within
each of these three areas, schools are organized into districts headed
by superintendents.
Sponsors who have assignments to areas where there are no Department
of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools may be allowed to have
tuition paid for their dependents to attend private schools, however
they must gain approval from the appropriate DoDEA area superintendent
prior to paying tuition or enrolling a dependent in a non-DoD school.
There are no provisions for reimbursing funds which have been paid
for by individuals for education in a private school or for correspondence
courses. Where neither a DoD dependents' school nor a private school
is available, accredited correspondence courses are provided at no
expense to the family, however, application for such education must
be made through appropriate channels.
Minor dependents living in an area
where there are no DoDEA schools also have the option of attending
the DoDEA dormitory school offering classes for grades 9 through 12.
There is no tuition charge for students of service personnel or DoD
employees who are paid from appropriated funds.
The only location where the seven day school is operated is London,
England. Students attending this school get at least two free air
trips home a year.
DoD Schools usually are not provided in such places as China, Africa,
Central and South America, although Americans, such as Marine guards
for embassies, may be stationed there. In some areas where there are
no DoDEA schools, there are State Department operated schools that
dependents of military personnel may attend. The DoD pays the tuition
for its dependents to attend private American-sponsored schools. These
are the same schools that State Department dependents attend. Dependents
may take correspondence courses offered through major educational
institutions and administered by DoDEA officials.
For more information visit the DODEA
Schools website.
For more information about other, non-DoD overseas American-sponsored
elementary and secondary schools assisted by the U.S. Department of
State contact:
Office of Overseas Schools
U.S. Department of State
Room H328, SA-1
Washington,
D. C. 20522-0132
Phone: (202) 261-8200
Fax: (202) 261-8224
E-mail: OverseasSchools@state.gov
Copyright 2006 . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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