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December 8, 2015
DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA)
authorized to receive financial aid, called Impact Aid from
manages one of two federal school systems that provides
the Department of Education for “federally-connected
pre-kindergarten through grade 12 education, primarily for
students” enrolled in local public schools to compensate for
the children of military servicemembers domestically and
“substantial and continuing financial burden" resulting from
overseas. DODEA employs approximately 15,000 and
federal activities. Military-connected LEAs receive DOD
operates 114 schools in foreign countries and 57 schools
Impact Aid for all enrolled dependent children of active
domestically. DODEA also has arrangements with local
duty servicemembers; however, the amount of aid varies
education authorities (LEAs) that operate schools on
depending on whether the servicemember lives on or off the
military installations. As of November 2015, the domestic
installation. DOD’s Impact Aid Program is in addition to
school system enrolled 22,699 students in seven states,
the ED program. For more background on ED Impact Aid
Puerto Rico, and Cuba. This report focuses only on
please see CRS Report R44221, Impact Aid, Title VIII of
DODEA’s domestic school system.
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: A Primer, by
Rebecca R. Skinner.
Legislative Background
Enrollment Eligibility
Although commanders at military installations had
All dependent children of DOD military and civilian
established their own schools since the 1800s, it wasn’t
employees living on an installation with a DDESS school
until 1821 that Congress first enacted law authorizing the
are eligible to attend that school tuition-free. Other
operation of dependent schools on military installations in
dependent children of DOD military and civilian employees
the United States. In 1950, Section 6 of P.L. 81-874
may be eligible for tuition-free enrollment under certain
consolidated funding and operation of what became known
as “Section 6” schools under the
circumstances. Children of DOD contractors are not eligible
Office of Education – later
to enroll. DDESS schools may accept dependent children of
the Department of Education (ED). These schools were
other non-DOD federal agency employees for tuition
established in states with racially segregated schools or in
reimbursement by the agency; however, DDESS may not
those that lacked adequate free public education options.
accept tuition from individuals. Average tuition per student
The 1981 Omnibus Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35) shifted
per year in FY2014 for domestic schools was $26,682.
funding responsibility for all DOD schools from the ED to
DOD. In 1994, P.L. 103-337 replaced the Section 6
DDESS Budget
legislation and renamed the school system the Department
of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary
DODEA’s budget is supported by defense-wide Operation
Schools (DDESS).
and Maintenance (O&M), Military Construction
(MILCON), and Procurement appropriations. The O&M
Authorities
budget for DDESS includes items such as salaries, travel,
contracts, supplies, and equipment. MILCON funds are
Section 2164 of Title 10, United States Code, provides the
typically multi-year appropriations for new construction
statutory authority for the Secretary of Defense to provide
projects greater than $750,000. In FY2014, DODEA’s
for elementary and secondary education for dependents of
budget included nearly $935 million in funding for DDESS
members of the armed forces and DOD civilian employees
- approximately one-third of DODEA’s total budget (see
assigned domestically (to include any U.S. territory,
Table 1). Over two-thirds of the DDESS O&M budget is
commonwealth, or possession). By this statute, factors to be
consumed by payroll costs for approximately 4,595 full-
considered by the Secretary when determining whether to
time equivalents (FTEs).
provide for domestic education include:
(A) The extent to which such dependents are
Table 1. DDESS Funding in Recent Years
eligible for free public education in the local area
Total enacted, current dollars in thousands ($000)
adjacent to the military installation.
FY2011
FY2012
FY2013
FY2014
(B) The extent to which the local educational
agency is able to provide an appropriate educational
O&M
476,663
523,585
507,158
555,957
program for such dependents.
MILCON
198,158
137,903
38,492
378,886
Impact Aid
TOTAL
674,821
661,488
545,650
934,834
DDESS
Approximately 1.1 million school-aged children have at
least one parent in the military, and nearly 80% of these
Source: DODEA Budget Books
children attend non-DDESS public schools off military
Notes: DDESS has not had any procurement funds appropriated in
bases. Since 1950 (P.L. 81-874), LEAs have been
the years shown.
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link to page 2 DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues
Student Performance
Some note that different options could apply depending on
the situation of the LEA, the installation, and the associated
DODEA measures student performance annually within the
DOD school(s).
DOD school system using the TerraNova standardized test.
The results of this test cannot be reliably compared against
Status Quo v. Divestment Options
other schools outside of the DODEA system that administer
Proponents of divesting domestic schools and associated
different standardized tests. DODEA does participate in the
infrastructure argue that the operation of primary and
National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). This
secondary schools is superfluous to DOD’s core national
is a standards-based national test administered at grades 4,
security mission and creates unnecessary administrative
8, and 12 in nine subject areas. DODEA schools often
overhead. They further note that average per-student costs
perform at or above national averages in NAEP testing. See
at DOD schools are significantly higher than per-student
Table 2 for recent test outcomes for DODEA and states
costs at schools operated by LEAs. In addition, some point
with DDESS schools. For more information on the NAEP
to potential future costs to maintain and upgrade existing
and educational testing please see CRS Report R40514,
schools. Proponents of shuttering these schools or turning
Assessment in Elementary and Secondary Education: A
them over to local education authorities for operation and
Primer, by Rebecca R. Skinner.
management argue that these options could result in
Table 2. Comparison of DODEA and State Public
substantial government savings.
School Outcomes on the NAEP for 2015
Average score (% of students at or above Proficient)
Proponents of maintaining the status quo contend that DOD
schools positively impact quality of life, troop morale, and
Grade 4
Grade 4
Grade 8
Grade 8
serve as a valuable retention incentive for military
Jurisdiction
Math
Reading
Math
Reading
servicemembers with children. Some argue that DOD
schools are better-equipped to provide for the unique needs
Alabama
231 (26%) 217 (29%) 267 (17%) 259 (23%)
of military children, for example, providing
educational/curriculum continuity for children who are
Georgia
236 (35%) 222 (34%) 279 (28%) 262 (30%)
subject to frequent moves. Some contend that the LEAs
Kentucky
242 (40%) 228 (40%) 278 (28%) 268 (36%)
may not have the resources, infrastructure, or administrative
capacity to absorb all DDESS students and question
New York
237 (35%) 223 (36%) 290 (31%) 263 (33%)
whether LEAs would be able to provide the same level of
North
244 (44%) 226 (38%) 281 (33%) 261 (30%)
programs and services. Military parents who now have the
Carolina
ability to serve on school boards at DDESS schools are
concerned about losing the ability to influence school
South
237 (36%) 218 (33%) 276 (26%) 261 (28%)
decision-making as their ability to serve on LEA school
Carolina
boards may be subject due to state and local residency
Virginia
247 (47%) 229 (43%) 268 (38%) 267 (36%)
restrictions. State and local officials are concerned that
federal resources in the form of Impact Aid or other funding
DODEA
248 (41%) 234 (47%) 291 (40%) 277 (47%)
would not be sufficient to offset the additional state and
Source: http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/
local outlays that might be required to support a new LEA
Notes: States listed are those with military installations that support
or the transfer of DDESS schools to local authorities.
DDESS schools. DODEA figures include both domestic and overseas
schools. State scores are for public schools only.
Charter Schools
Charter schools are independently operated, publicly-
Issues for Congress
funded primary or secondary public schools that are
allowed to operate with more autonomy than traditional
Some have questioned the continued need for DOD to
public schools. In 2008, the report of the Tenth Quadrennial
operate domestic school systems. Over the past few decades
Review of Military Compensation recommended that
a number of alternatives for funding and operating DOD
military parents be allowed to form on-base charter schools.
domestic schools have been considered. Options that have
There are currently eight charter schools operated on
been raised in recent studies include
military installations. Proponents of charter schools on
maintaining the status quo;
installations suggest that these schools might be more
innovative and able to offer tailored services for military
closing all base schools and transferring students to
families. Issues that have been raised with these charter
LEA;
schools include installation security (e.g., access for civilian
transferring management of students and facilities to an
students and families), facility availability, lease
existing LEA, with DOD maintaining some
requirements, and financing, and limitations imposed by
state laws.
responsibility for facilities;
establishing a new LEA covering the entire installation
Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower
area (coterminous district); and
IF10335
converting DDESS schools into charter schools.
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DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues
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