Benefit Fact Sheet
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, and managing prekindergarten through 12th grade educational programs on behalf of the Department of Defense (DoD).
DoDEA determines the enrollment and eligibility policy. Eligibility is determined by the supporting documentation of the sponsor.
For DoDEA Americas, Army Service members on active duty are eligible to send their dependents to DoDEA schools if the Service member is living in permanent housing on base or on the housing list (within 90 days of occupying). For eligible DoDEA schools in US territories, Service members do not need to be living on base to be eligible.
Service members are eligible to send dependents on a space required basis if assigned to permanent overseas station and have been given a housing allowance. For Service members that are assigned PCS overseas and do not meet these criteria, dependents may still attend a DoDEA school on a space available basis. In addition, surviving spouses who return to a host nation country within one year of the member's death may send dependents to DoDEA schools on a space available, tuition free basis.
Non DoD Program: In special circumstances where military members are assigned to foreign countries that do not have DoDEA schools, DoDEA may reimburse funding for tuition or other school-related costs. Service members must be permanently assigned, have PCS orders and be receiving a housing allowance at the "with dependents" rate.
DoDEA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, headquartered in Alexandria, VA, that serves as an umbrella agency to monitor DoDEA Europe ,DoDEA Pacific and the DoDEA Americas. Each area is managed by an area director. Within each area, the schools are organized into districts headed by superintendents. DoDEA currently operates 161 schools in 9 districts located in 11 foreign countries, 7 states, Guam, and Puerto Rico. There are nearly 900,000 military connected Children of all ages worldwide, of which more than 64,000 are enrolled in DoDEA schools and served by more than 14,000 employees.
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Americas Within the United States, DoDEA schools provide tuition-free education for the dependent Children of military members occupying (or within 90 days of being provided) permanent living quarters on any military installations with a DoDEA school program. For DoDEA schools on U.S. territories, base housing is not a requirement for enrollment. DoDEA Americas provides comprehensive educational programs on military installations located in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and Cuba that are competitive within that of any school system in the United States. DoDEA Americas provide K-12 education, but not all levels are available at every location. Where the grade level program is not offered, dependent students living on the military installations attend schools operated by the Local Education Agency in the civilian community. DoDEA Americas operates 50 schools in 2 Districts located in 2 countries, 7 states, and one territory across 3 time zones, serving more than 20,000 students.
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Overseas: Offers comprehensive educational programs for military Family members, grades K-12, in overseas locations. DoDEA-Europe operates 64 schools in 4 Districts located in 8 countries across 4 time zones throughout Europe. Their footprint consists of the following countries: Germany, Belgium, Netherland, United Kingdom, Bahrain, Italy, Spain and Turkey. DoDEA-Pacific operates 46 schools at 21 locations across Guam, Japan (including Okinawa) and South Korea. Enrollment is guaranteed for "command-sponsored" Children, those officially approved to relocate overseas at government expense. Children without command sponsorship may enroll on a space-available basis. DoDEA determines the enrollment policy, which will fall in one of four categories :
- Category 1
- Space-Required, Tuition-Free
- Space-Available, Tuition-Paying
- Category 2
- Space-Available, Tuition-Paying (Federally Connected)
- Category 3
- Space-Available, Tuition-Free
- Category 4
- Space-Available, Tuition-Paying (Non-Federally Connected)
Authorized command-sponsored Family members of Soldier assigned to overseas areas where no DoDEA schools are available, the Non-DoD Schools Program has the responsibility to support educational services at government expense. Prior approval must be gained from DoDEA before.
Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Virtual School: DoDEA Virtual School (DVS) provides interactive and engaging instruction that prepares students to learn, work, and serve a global society. DVS is comprised of these programs: DoDEA Virtual High School (DVHS) Supplemental, DVHS Expanded Eligibility Pilot Program (E2P2), Non-DoD Schools Program (NDSP), and the Domestic Transition Program.
- DoDEA Virtual High School is a fully accredited DoDEA high school that provides online asynchronous courses with synchronous support by full-time DoDEA certified teachers. All courses are aligned to DoDEA College and Career Readiness Standards. The DVHS supports high school students in multiple ways: a supplemental program to students currently enrolled in a worldwide DoDEA school, the DVHS Expanded Eligibility Pilot Program (E2P2), the Non-DoD Schools Program (NDSP), the Domestic Transition Program, and current DoDEA high school students taking a course in the summer.
For eligibility requirements for DVS, please visit the DoDEA Eligibility page.
For more information about the schools, employment, and other topics, please visit the website maintained by the Department of Defense Education Activity:
https://www.dodea.edu
DoDEA Americas:
https://www.dodea.edu/americas
DoDEA Europe:
https://www.dodea.edu/europe
DoDEA Pacific:
https://www.dodea.edu/pacific
Non-DoD Schools Program (NDSP):
https://www.dodea.edu/non-dod-schools
DoDEA Virtual School:
https://dvhs.dodea.edu/
DoDEA AI 1344.01 - Eligibility and Enrollment Requirements for DoDEA Schools:
https://dodea.widen.net/content/lydmcntonm/original/ai-1344-01-eligibility-and-enrollment-requirements-for-dodea-schools-change-1.pdf