Updated June 26, 2024
Defense Primer: DOD Domestic School System
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA)
1) children are eligible for free public education in the local
manages federally funded school systems overseas and
area adjacent to the military installation, and 2) the ability
domestically that provide pre-kindergarten (pre-K) through
of LEAs to provide an “appropriate” public school
grade 12 education, primarily for the children of active duty
educational program for such children.
servicemembers living on military installations. In 2024,
Impact Aid
DODEA operated 160 schools globally with an enrolment
of about 67,000 students. DOD’s Domestic Dependent
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has
Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESSs) program
previously reported that approximately 1.1 million school-
operates 53 schools across 7 states, the Territory of Guam,
aged children have at least one parent in the military, and
and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as well as one
nearly 80% of these children attend non-DDESS public
virtual school. DDESS enrolls approximately 22,000
schools off military bases. Since 1950 (P.L. 81-874), LEAs
students and is supported by a staff of 4,311. Military
have been authorized to receive financial aid, called Impact
families have generally cited the availability of DOD
Aid from ED for “federally connected students” enrolled in
domestic schools as a quality-of-life benefit.
local public schools to compensate for a “substantial and
continuing financial burden” resulting from federal
Legislative Background
activities. DOD administers an Impact Aid Program in
addition to the ED program for LEAs that meet certain
Since the early 1800s, commanders on military installations
conditions. For more background on ED and DOD Impact
had established their own schools. In 1950, Congress
Aid, please see CRS Report R45400, Impact Aid, Title VII
consolidated the funding and operation of installation-run
of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act: A Primer.
schools under the Office of Education – later the
Department of Education (ED) as part of Section 6 of P.L.
Enrollment Eligibility
81-874. Between 1950 and 1980 these Section 6 schools
Dependent children of U.S. military and DOD civilian
were established in locales where (1) state laws prohibited
employees living on an installation with a DDESS school
tax revenues of the state or any political subdivision of the
are eligible to attend that school tuition-free. Other
state to be expended for free public education of children
dependent children of DOD military, federal civilian
residing on federal property; or (2) education systems
employees, and foreign militaries may be eligible for
within the local communities were judged unable to provide
tuition-free enrollment under certain circumstances.
suitable free public education. Though the law did not
define “suitable” education, some were established to
Children of DOD contractors are not eligible to enroll.
DDESS schools may accept dependent children of other
provide a racially integrated schooling option for children
non-DOD federal agency employees for tuition
of servicemembers (e.g., Maxwell Elementary School,
reimbursement by the agency; however, DDESS may not
Alabama). Others were established at installations in remote
accept tuition from individuals. Tuition rates for domestic
or sparsely populated locations. The 1981 Omnibus
schools for the 2024-2025 school year are between $23,684
Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35) shifted funding
and $26,176, depending on the student’s grade.
responsibility for all DOD schools from ED to DOD. In
1994, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
DDESS Budget
Year 1995 (P.L. 103-337) replaced the Section 6 legislation
and renamed the school system the Department of Defense
The DDESS budget is supported by defense-wide
Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools.
Operation and Maintenance (O&M), Military Construction
During that era, Congress sought to transfer control of
(MILCON), and Procurement appropriations. The O&M
many installation-based schools to local educational
budget for DDESS includes items such as salaries, travel,
agencies (LEAs; P.L. 99-167). Congress has periodically
contracts, supplies, and equipment. MILCON funds are
requested studies on the divestiture of DOD domestic
typically appropriations for projects like new school
schools.
construction or additions to existing schools.
Authorities
Table 1. DOD Domestic School O&M Funding
Current dollars in millions
Section 2164 of Title 10, United States Code, provides the
statutory authority for the Secretary of Defense to enter into
FY2023
FY2024
FY2025
arrangements to provide for the elementary and secondary
(actual)
(enacted)
(request)
education for children of members of the Armed Forces and
DOD civilian employees assigned domestically (to include
O&M
$655.400
$717.001
$705.507
any U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or possession).
Source: DOD Comptroller, Budget Books.
Factors to be considered when determining whether to
Note: O&M enacted funding for overseas DOD schools was $1.137
provide for domestic education include the extent to which
billion for FY2024.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
link to page 2 Defense Primer: DOD Domestic School System
Student Performance
overhead. Some note that average per-student costs at
DODEA primarily measures student performance annually
DDESS schools are significantly higher than per-student
within the DOD school system through College and Career
costs at schools operated by LEAs. In addition, some point
Ready Standards (CCRS) summative assessments. DODEA
to future costs to maintain and upgrade existing school
also participates in the National Assessment of Educational
infrastructure. Proponents of shuttering these schools or
Progress (NAEP). This is a standards-based national test
maintaining the buildings on DOD property but turning
administered at grades 4, 8, and 12 in nine subject areas.
them over to LEA control argue that these options could
With respect to NAEP testing outcomes, DODEA schools
result in substantial government savings.
in the aggregate often perform at or above U.S. national
Proponents of maintaining the status quo contend that
averages and better than the states in which the DDESS
DDESS schools improve servicemember quality of life and
schools are located (see Table 2). For more on the NAEP
serve as a retention incentive for military families with
and educational testing, see CRS Report R45048, Basic
children. Some argue that DOD schools are better-equipped
Concepts and Technical Considerations in Educational
to provide for the unique needs of military children, for
Assessment: A Primer.
example, providing curriculum continuity for children who
Table 2. Comparison of DODEA and State Public
are subject to frequent moves. Some contend that LEAs
School Scores to National Scores on the NAEP
may not have the resources, infrastructure, or administrative
capacity to absorb all DDESS students and question
% of students at or above proficient, 2022
whether LEAs would be able to provide the same quality of
Grade
Grade 4
Grade 8
Grade 8
programs and services as DDESS. In addition, military
Jurisdiction
4 Math
Reading
Math
Reading
parents may have reduced influence on LEA school policies
as their eligibility to serve on LEA school boards may be
Nation
35%
32%
26%
29%
subject to local residency restrictions. Some state and local
officials are concerned that federal resources (i.e., Impact
DODEA
51%
50%
41%
55%
Aid) would not be sufficient to offset the additional state
Alabama
27%
28%
19%
22%
and local outlays that might be required to support a new
LEA or the transfer of DDESS schools/students to an
Georgia
34%
32%
24%
31%
existing LEA.
Kentucky
33%
32%
23%
29%
Charter Schools
New York
28%
29%
28%
33%
Charter schools are independently operated, government-
funded public schools that are allowed to operate with more
North
35%
36%
26%
26%
autonomy than traditional public schools. Between 2001
Carolina
and 2012 there were eight charter schools established on
South
34%
33%
22%
26%
military installations. These schools serve both military and
Carolina
civilian students and are eligible for Impact Aid funds.
Proponents of charter schools on installations suggest that
Virginia
38%
32%
31%
31%
these schools might be more innovative and able to offer
Source: NAEP, The Nation’s Report Card, 2022.
tailored services for military families. A 2013 Government
Notes: States listed are those with DDESS schools on military
Accountability Office report found challenges include
installations. DODEA figures include both domestic and overseas
installation security (e.g., access for civilian students),
schools. State scores are for public schools only. Boxes shaded green
facility availability, lease requirements, financing, and
indicate proficiency levels above national average, red boxes indicate
limitations imposed by state laws.
proficiency levels below average and unshaded boxes indicate no
statistically significant difference between state and national levels.
Parental Rights and Disclosures
As added in the FY2024 NDAA (P.L. 118-31), 10 U.S.C.
Issues for Congress
2164a outlines parental rights for students attending
Status Quo v. Divestment Options
DODEA schools. It also requires DODEA to provide
certain notifications and disclosures to parents about
Some have questioned the continued need for DOD to own
and operate domestic schools. Policy analysts have studied
standards/benchmarks, curriculum, and revisions to these
alternatives to the status quo for funding and operating
and other programs.
DOD domestic schools, including, 1) closing all base
Universal Pre-Kindergarten (pre-K)
schools and transferring students to LEAs; 2) transferring
The President’s FY2024 Budget Request included a
operations to an existing LEA, with DOD maintaining some
proposal for universal pre-K at all DODEA schools.
responsibility for facilities; 3) establishing a new LEA
DODEA reports that it will begin implementation of
covering the entire installation area (coterminous district);
tuition-free, full-day pre-K in the 2024-2025 school year. In
4) converting DDESS schools into charter schools; and 5)
the FY2024 NDAA (P.L. 118-31) Congress directed
contracting with an educational management organization
quarterly briefings on the implementation of this initiative
to operate the system.
until December 31, 2027.
Proponents of divesting domestic schools and associated
infrastructure argue that the operation of elementary and
Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Personnel
secondary schools is not essential to DOD’s core national
IF10335
security mission and creates unnecessary administrative
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Primer: DOD Domestic School System
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10335 · VERSION 10 · UPDATED