Updated April 28, 2023

DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) of LEAs to provide an appropriate public school
manages a federal school system that provides pre- educational program for such children.
kindergarten through grade 12 education, primarily for the
children of active duty servicemembers living on military Impact Aid
installations. In 2023, DODEA operated 160 schools
Approximately 1.1 million school-aged children have at
globally, including 50 domestic schools across 17
least one parent in the military, and nearly 80% of these
installations and one virtual school. These schools employ
nearly 12,000 staff for a student population of about 70,000. children attend non-DDESS public schools off military
bases. Since 1950 (P.L. 81-874), LEAs have been
Military families have generally cited the availability of
authorized to receive financial aid, called Impact Aid from
DOD schools as a positive quality-of-life issue. This report
focuses only on DOD’s Domestic Dependent Elementary ED for “federally connected students” enrolled in local
and Secondary Schools (DDESS). public schools to compensate for a “substantial and
continuing financial burden” resulting from federal
activities. DOD administers an Impact Aid Program in
Legislative Background 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 Children of DOD contractors are not eligible to enroll.
define “suitable” education, some were established to 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 2022-2023 school year were between
Reconciliation Act (P.L. 97-35) shifted funding $22,000 and $26,000, 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
The DDESS budget is supported by defense-wide
and renamed the school system the Department of Defense
Operation and Maintenance (O&M), Military Construction
Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools
(DDESS). During that time period, Congress sought to (MILCON), and Procurement appropriations. The O&M
budget for DDESS includes items such as salaries, travel,
transfer control of many installation-based schools to local
contracts, supplies, and equipment. MILCON funds are
education authorities (LEAs; P.L. 99-167). Congress has
periodically requested studies on the divestiture of the typically appropriations for projects like new school
remaining DOD domestic schools to LEAs. construction or additions to existing schools.
Table 1. DOD Domestic School O&M Funding
Authorities Current dollars in millions
Section 2164 of Title 10, United States Code, provides the
statutory authority for the Secretary of Defense to enter into FY2022 FY2023 FY2024
arrangements to provide for the elementary and secondary (actual) (enacted) (request)
education for children of members of the Armed Forces and
O&M $674.386 $670.103 $717.001
DOD civilian employees assigned domestically (to include
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 $1.236
provide for domestic education include the extent to which billion for FY2023.
1) children are eligible for free public education in the local
area adjacent to the military installation, and 2) the ability

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 DOD Domestic School System: Background and Issues

Student Performance Proponents of divesting domestic schools and associated

infrastructure argue that the operation of elementary and
DODEA primarily measures student performance annually
secondary schools is superfluous to DOD’s core national
within the DOD school system using the TerraNova
security mission and creates unnecessary administrative
standardized test. DODEA also participates in the National overhead. Some note that average per-student costs at
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). This is a
DDESS schools are significantly higher than per-student
standards-based national test administered at grades 4, 8,
costs at schools operated by LEAs. In addition, some point
and 12 in nine subject areas. With respect to NAEP testing to future costs to maintain and upgrade existing school
outcomes, DODEA schools in the aggregate often perform
infrastructure. Proponents of shuttering these schools or
at or above U.S. national averages and better than the states
maintaining the buildings on DOD property but turning
in which the DDESS schools are located (see Table 2). For them over to LEA control argue that these options could
more information on the NAEP and educational testing,
result in substantial government savings.
please see CRS Report R45048, Basic Concepts and
Technical Considerations in Educational Assessment: A Proponents of maintaining the status quo contend that
Primer. DDESS schools improve quality of life and troop morale,
and serve as a valuable retention incentive for military
Table 2. Comparison of DODEA and State Public servicemembers with children. Some argue that DOD
School Scores to National Scores on the NAEP domestic schools are better-equipped to provide for the
% of students at or above proficient, 2022 unique needs of military children, for example, providing
educational/curriculum continuity for children who are
Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 8 subject to frequent moves. Some contend that LEAs may
Jurisdiction Math Reading Math Reading not have the resources, infrastructure, or administrative
capacity to absorb all DDESS students and question
Alabama 27% 28% 19% 22% whether LEAs would be able to provide the same level of
Georgia 34% 32% 24% 31% programs and services as provided by DDESS. Military
parents who now have the ability to serve on school boards
Kentucky 33% 32% 23% 29% at DDESS schools are concerned about losing the ability to
New York 28% 29% 28% 33% influence school decision-making as their ability to serve on
LEA school boards may be subject to local residency
North 35% 36% 26% 26% restrictions. Some state and local officials are concerned
Carolina that federal resources (i.e., Impact Aid) would not be
sufficient to offset the additional state and local outlays that
South 34% 33% 22% 26%
might be required to support a new LEA or the transfer of
Carolina
DDESS schools to an existing LEA.
Virginia 38% 32% 31% 31%
Charter Schools
DODEA 51% 50% 41% 55%
Charter schools are independently operated, publicly
Nation 35% 32% 26% 29% funded public schools that are allowed to operate with more
Source: NAEP, The Nation’s Report Card, 2022,
autonomy than traditional public schools. In 2008, the
http://www.nationsreportcard.gov/.
Tenth Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation
Notes: States listed are those with military installations that support
recommended allowing military parents to form on-
DDESS schools. DODEA figures include both domestic and overseas
installation charter schools. There are currently eight
schools. State scores are for public schools only. Boxes shaded green
charter schools operated on military installations.
indicate proficiency levels above national average, red boxes indicate
Proponents of charter schools on installations suggest that
proficiency levels below average and unshaded boxes indicate no
these schools might be more innovative and able to offer
statistically significant difference between state and national levels.
tailored services for military families. Issues that have been
raised with these charter schools include installation
Issues for Congress security (e.g., access for civilian students), facility
availability, lease requirements, financing, and limitations
Status Quo v. Divestment Options
imposed by state laws.
Some have questioned the continued need for DOD to own
and operate domestic schools. Congress has considered a
Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K)
number of alternatives for funding and operating DOD
The President’s FY2024 Budget Request included a
domestic schools, including,
proposal for universal pre-kindergarten at all DODEA
 closing all base schools and transferring students to schools. This included $66.45 million in requested funds to
LEAs; provide tuition-free, full-day prekindergarten to
approximately 4,000 four-year-old children. Congress may
 transferring operations to an existing LEA, with DOD consider whether to appropriate funds for this purpose.
maintaining some 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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