Department of Defense Education Activity

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Military-connected kids with father in DoDEA Pacific.

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is a civilian agency of the United States Department of Defense that manages schools for military-connected children in the United States and overseas at American military bases worldwide.^[1] DoDEA's schools serve the children of military service members and Department of Defense civilian employees throughout the world. Children of enlisted military personnel represent 85 percent of the total enrollment in DoDEA schools. DoDEA also provides support to more than one million military-connected students who attend public schools throughout the United States. It is headed by a director who oversees all agency functions from the Mark Center in Alexandria, Virginia.^[2] DoDEA's schools are divided into three regions (Americas, Europe, and Pacific), each of which is managed by an area director. Within each of these three regions schools are organized into districts headed by superintendents.

DoDEA history

Shortly after the end of World War II and the arrival of military families overseas, schools for the children of American service members opened at 43 locations in Germany, Austria and Japan with 116 teachers and 1,297 students. From these beginnings with classrooms sometimes in quonset huts or factory buildings, the Dependents School Service grew into an organization supporting an estimated 160,000 students in 300 schools around the world.

Dr. Beth Stephens, former director for one of DoDEA's predecessor agencies in the mid-80s, once said, "At no time in history has any other nation educated 150,000 of its children in 20 countries around the world and made it possible for them to understand and experience the culture of their host nations while maintaining their identity with and patriotism for their own country."

As the Cold War came to a close, U.S. military forces abroad began to draw down, so did the schools and communities supporting families stationed overseas. All the schools serving military-connected students, in the U.S. and abroad, came under the umbrella of the DoDEA as a new parent agency in 1992.

DoDEA today

As of June 2018, the DoDEA operates 164 schools and 1 virtual high school in 8 districts located in 11 foreign countries, 7 U.S. states, Guam, and Puerto Rico, for more than 73,000 students. The largest community is the Kaiserslautern Military Community, which includes Ramstein Air Base^[3] and 10 other U.S. and NATO facilities, and approximately 57,000 people. All schools within DoDEA are fully accredited by U.S. accreditation agencies. Approximately 11,600 full-time employees (including over 8,700 teachers) serve DoDEA's over 73,000 students.^[4]

DoDEA curricular programs

DoDEA's curricular programs provide a comprehensive pre-K through 12th grade instruction that is competitive with that of any school system in the United States. ^[5] DoDEA maintains a high school graduation rate of approximately 97 percent. The 2,809 graduating seniors in DoDEA's Class of 2017 earned more than $35 million in scholarships and grants.

DoDEA College and Career Readiness Standards

DoDEA designed and implemented college and career ready programs to ensure high school graduates have the content knowledge, skills, habits and dispositions in multiple subjects to be successful in their future endeavors, after high school. ^[6] Nationwide, it has become expected that high school graduates need to continue their education in a postsecondary course of study, program or training series if they are to have options and opportunities in the current job market.

• College and Career Ready Standards establish clear, consistent and high learning goals and are more focused on preparing students for success in college and careers. The standards in the areas of mathematics and literacy set a foundation for even greater student success and growth. The standards set grade-by-grade learning expectations for students in grades K-12.

DoDEA Comprehensive Assessment System

In conjunction with the implementation of the College and Career Ready Standards, DoDEA is transitioning to the Comprehensive Assessment System (DoDEA-CAS) starting school year 2017-18. The DoDEA-CAS includes all of the assessments that are administered systematically within DoDEA. All assessments included in the DoDEA-CAS support student learning, provide information for decision makers concerning instructional programs and services, and inform parents.^[7]

DoDEA Americas Region

Headquartered in Peachtree City, GA, DoDEA Americas is divided into 2 school districts (Americas Mid-Atlantic and Americas Southeast) and operates 51 schools at 16 military communities on the U.S. mainland, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. As of June 2018, it educates approximately 21,600 students of U.S. military and eligible DoD civilian personnel families.^[8]

DoDEA Europe Region

Headquartered in Kapaun AS, Kaiserslautern, Germany, DoDEA Europe is organized into 3 districts (EU East, EU South, and EU West) and operates 65 schools within 27 U.S. military communities across Europe. As of June 2018, the DoDEA European region educates approximately 27,000 children of U.S. military and eligible DoD civilian personnel families.^[9]

DoDEA Pacific Region

Headquartered in Yokota AB, Japan, the DoDEA Pacific region is organized into 3 districts (Pacific East, Pacific South, and Pacific West) and operates 48 schools on 22 U.S. military installations in Guam, Japan, Okinawa and South Korea. As of June 2018, the DoDEA Pacific Region educates approximately 22,440 children of U.S. military and eligible DoD civilian personnel families. ^[10]

Endnotes

References

External Links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Department of Defense Education Activity.

• Official DoDEA Website