Updated August 18, 2020
DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA)
authorized to receive financial aid, called Impact Aid from
manages a federal school system that provides pre-
ED for “federally-connected students” enrolled in local
kindergarten through grade 12 education, primarily for the
public schools to compensate for a “substantial and
children of military servicemembers. According to the
continuing financial burden" resulting from federal
Department of Defense (DOD), in 2020, DODEA operated
activities. Military-connected LEAs receive DOD Impact
160 schools globally, including 50 domestic schools across
Aid for all enrolled dependent children of active duty
states and one virtual school. These schools employ nearly
servicemembers; however, the amount of aid varies
12,000 staff, for a student population of about 70,000.
depending on whether the servicemember lives on or off
DODEA also has arrangements with local education
federal property. DOD administers an Impact Aid Program
authorities (LEAs) that operate civilian-managed schools on
in addition to the ED program. For more background on ED
military installations. This report focuses only on
and DOD Impact Aid, please see CRS Report R45400,
DODEA’s domestic school system.
Impact Aid, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary
Education Act: A Primer.
Legislative Background
Enrollment Eligibility
Commanders at military installations had established their
All dependent children of U.S. military and DOD civilian
own K-12 schools since the early 1800s. In 1821, Congress
employees living on an installation with a DDESS school
first enacted a law authorizing the operation of schools for
are eligible to attend that school tuition-free. Other
children of servicemembers living on military installations
dependent children of DOD military, federal civilian
in the United States. In 1950, Section 6 of P.L. 81-874
employees, and foreign militaries may be eligible for
consolidated funding and the operation of what became
tuition-free enrollment under certain circumstances.
known as Section 6 schools under the Office of Education –
Children of DOD contractors are not eligible to enroll.
later the Department of Education (ED). Between 1950 and
DDESS schools may accept dependent children of other
1980 these schools were established in locales that lacked
non-DOD federal agency employees for tuition
adequate public education for children living on
reimbursement by the agency; however, DDESS may not
installations, by reason of racially segregated schools,
accept tuition from individuals. Tuition rates for domestic
remote or sparsely populated locations, or state restrictions
schools for the 2020-2021 school year were between
on funds to educate military children on federal property.
$23,000 and $26,000, depending on the student’s grade.
The 1981 Omnibus Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35) shifted
funding responsibility for all DOD schools from ED to
DDESS Budget
DOD. In 1994, P.L. 103-337 replaced the Section 6
legislation and renamed the school system the Department
The DDESS budget is supported by defense-wide
of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary
Operation and Maintenance (O&M), Military Construction
Schools (DDESS).
(MILCON), and Procurement appropriations. The O&M
budget for DDESS includes items such as salaries, travel,
Authorities
contracts, supplies, and equipment. MILCON funds are
typically multi-year appropriations for projects like new
Section 2164 of Title 10, United States Code, provides the
school construction or additions to existing schools.
statutory authority for the Secretary of Defense to enter into
arrangements to provide for the elementary and secondary
Table 1. DDESS O&M Funding in Recent Years
education for children of members of the armed forces and
Current dol ars in thousands ($000)
DOD civilian employees assigned domestically (to include
any U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or possession). Per
FY2019
FY2020
FY2021
this statute, factors to be considered by the Secretary when
(actual)
(enacted) (estimated)
determining whether to provide for domestic education
include the extent to which 1) children are eligible for free
O&M
$568,254
$586,081
$587,942
public education in the local area adjacent to the military
Source: DOD Comptrol er, Budget Books
installation, and 2) the ability of LEAs to provide an
appropriate public school educational program for such
children.
Student Performance
Impact Aid
DODEA primarily measures student performance annually
within the DOD school system using the TerraNova
Approximately 1.1 million school-aged children have at
standardized test. DODEA also participates in the National
least one parent in the military, and nearly 80% of these
Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP). This is a
children attend non-DDESS public schools off military
standards-based national test administered at grades 4, 8,
bases. Since 1950 (P.L. 81-874), LEAs have been
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link to page 2 DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues
and 12 in nine subject areas. With respect to NAEP testing
Status Quo v. Divestment Options
outcomes, DODEA schools in the aggregate often perform
Proponents of divesting domestic schools and associated
at or above U.S. national averages and better than the states
infrastructure argue that the operation of elementary and
in which the DDESS schools are located (see Table 2). For
secondary schools is superfluous to DOD’s core national
more information on the NAEP and educational testing,
security mission and creates unnecessary administrative
please see CRS Report R45048, Basic Concepts and
overhead. They further note that average per-student costs
Technical Considerations in Educational Assessment: A
at DDESS schools are significantly higher than per-student
Primer.
costs at schools operated by LEAs. In addition, some point
to potential future costs to maintain and upgrade existing
Table 2. Comparison of DODEA and State Public
schools. Proponents of shuttering these schools or
School Outcomes on the NAEP for 2019
maintaining the buildings on DOD property but turning
% of students at or above proficient
them over to LEAs for operation and management argue
that these options could result in substantial government
Grade 4
Grade 4
Grade 8
Grade 8
savings.
Jurisdiction
Math
Reading
Math
Reading
Proponents of maintaining the status quo contend that
Alabama
28%
28%
21%
24%
DDESS schools improve quality of life and troop morale,
and serve as a valuable retention incentive for military
Georgia
36%
32%
31%
32%
servicemembers with children. Some argue that DOD
Kentucky
40%
35%
29%
33%
domestic schools are better-equipped to provide for the
unique needs of military children, for example, providing
New York
37%
34%
34%
32%
educational/curriculum continuity for children who are
North
41%
36%
37%
33%
subject to frequent moves. Some contend that LEAs may
Carolina
not have the resources, infrastructure, or administrative
capacity to absorb all DDESS students and question
South
36%
32%
29%
29%
whether LEAs would be able to provide the same level of
Carolina
programs and services as provided by DDESS. Military
Virginia
48%
38%
38%
33%
parents who now have the ability to serve on school boards
at DDESS schools are concerned about losing the ability to
DODEA
54%
49%
41%
52%
influence school decision-making as their ability to serve on
LEA school boards may be subject to local residency
Nation
40%
34%
33%
32%
restrictions. Some state and local officials are concerned
Source: NAEP, The Nation’s Report Card,
that federal resources (i.e., Impact Aid) would not be
http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/
sufficient to offset the additional state and local outlays that
Notes: States listed are those with military instal ations that support
might be required to support a new LEA or the transfer of
DDESS schools. DODEA figures include both domestic and overseas
DDESS schools to an existing LEA.
schools. State scores are for public schools only. Boxes shaded green
indicate proficiency levels above national average, red boxes indicate
Charter Schools
proficiency levels below average and unshaded boxes indicate no
Charter schools are independently operated, publicly
statistical y significant difference between state and national levels.
funded elementary or secondary public schools that are
Issues for Congress
allowed to operate with more autonomy than traditional
public schools in exchange for increased accountability. In
Some have questioned the continued need for DOD to own
2008, the report of the Tenth Quadrennial Review of
and operate domestic schools. Over the past few decades a
Military Compensation recommended that military parents
number of alternatives for funding and operating DOD
be allowed to form on-base charter schools. There are
domestic schools have been considered. Options that have
currently eight charter schools operated on military
been raised in recent studies include
installations. Proponents of charter schools on installations
suggest that these schools might be more innovative and
closing all base schools and transferring students to
able to offer tailored services for military families. Issues
LEAs;
that have been raised with these charter schools include
transferring management of students and facilities to an
installation security (e.g., access for civilian students and
existing LEA, with DOD maintaining some
families), facility availability, lease requirements,
responsibility for facilities;
financing, and limitations imposed by state laws.
establishing a new LEA covering the entire installation
Virtual School and COVID-19
area (coterminous district); and
In response to the 2020 Coronavirus Disease 2019
converting DDESS schools into charter schools.
(COVID-19) pandemic, DODEA transitioned to remote
learning at many of its overseas and domestic locations.
Some note that different options could apply depending on
According to DOD, for the 2020-21 school year, 25 of the
the situation of the LEA, the installation, and the associated
50 domestic schools will open remotely.
DOD school(s).
Kristy N. Kamarck, Analyst in Military Manpower
IF10335
https://crsreports.congress.gov
DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues
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