Legal Definitions - Department of Defense Dependents Schools

The Department of Defense Dependents Schools, commonly known by its acronym DoDDS, refers to a global school system operated by the U.S. Department of Defense.

Its fundamental purpose is to provide a comprehensive kindergarten through 12th-grade education for the children of American military personnel and civilian employees who are assigned to duty stations outside the continental United States. Essentially, DoDDS ensures that families serving their country abroad have access to a consistent and quality American educational experience for their dependents.

• Example 1: A U.S. Air Force family is stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Their two children, one in elementary school and one in middle school, attend the local schools on base. These schools are part of the DoDDS system, providing them with an American curriculum and educational environment while their parents serve overseas.

  Explanation: This illustrates how DoDDS directly serves the dependents of military personnel assigned to an overseas location, ensuring their children receive K-12 education within a familiar U.S. school framework.

• Example 2: A civilian engineer working for the Department of the Army is assigned to a multi-year project at Camp Zama in Japan. Her high school-aged daughter enrolls in the Zama American High School. This school falls under the DoDDS umbrella, offering her daughter an accredited American high school education while living abroad with her parent.

  Explanation: This demonstrates DoDDS's role in educating the children of U.S. civilian employees who are also stationed overseas, providing them with the same educational opportunities as military families.

• Example 3: A U.S. Navy family is preparing to transfer from their duty station in Naples, Italy, to a new assignment in Bahrain. Their son, who is currently in a DoDDS elementary school in Italy, will seamlessly transfer to a DoDDS elementary school at the new base in Bahrain. The curriculum and educational standards will be consistent, easing his transition.

  Explanation: This highlights the interconnected nature of the DoDDS system across various international locations, ensuring continuity of education for dependents of military and civilian personnel as they move between different overseas assignments.