Department of Defense Dependents Schools

United States Contractor personnel supporting the Department of Defense overseas are eligible to send their dependents for a fee.

[1] After World War II, the increased demand for American education overseas was a result of the government's decision to allow soldiers to bring their families when deployed.

Schools on military bases in Guam are under DDESS jurisdiction, but are administered by DoDDS Pacific (presumably for administrative convenience).

Schools on the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba fall under the jurisdiction of DoDDS, but are administered by DDESS.

As all of these schools are situated overseas, a concerted effort is made to immerse the children in the local culture.

The infants-toddlers special education program exists overseas on U.S. military bases, though not coordinated through DoDDS.

[5] In addition to operating retail facilities on overseas military installations, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service provides four million school lunches each year in overseas Department of Defense schools at a break-even expense to support military families.

While there are typical environmental changes that may affect any child's educational performance such as divorce, and relocation, there are some that are systemic with military children.

A study was done focusing on parental absences during the time of the military deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan between 2002 and 2005.