A study of schools serving military families in the U.S

The Conference Report on the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1995 directed the Secretary of Defense to examine military parents opinions of the quality of education in (a) the Federally funded Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) and (b) local education agencies (LEAs) in which over 30% of enrolled students are military connected. Two mail-out surveys were conducted in addition to interviews of installation, state, and local officials. The surveys were administered to over 40,000 active-duty service members between December 1995 and October 1996. This study found strong support for the current DDESS system among the parents of DDESS students, installation commanders, and DDESS personnel. Although they do not actively seek a transfer of DDESS schools to LEAs, state and local education officials are open to a transfer, as long as the Federal government provides sufficient funding. This study also found concerns that if transfers are required in the future, that they be carefully and strategically planned, and that no transfer be made without full funding of Impact Aid. LEAs with enrollments that are over 30 percent military-connected students reported problems resulting from funding levels below the level authorized by the Impact Aid statutes.