How are children's schools on duty station bases?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:20:54 -0400

I want to go active duty and away from the national guard. My fiancé is a teacher and is crazy about good schools. Can anyone tell us how great the schools are on bases and how the education for kids are?

Response by CW3(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 6:30 PM

CW3(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:30:13 -0400

Although it was a while ago. When I was in Germany I heard great things about the American High School in Nuremberg.

Response by Lt Col Charlie Brown made Mar 13 at 2019 6:31 PM

Lt Col Charlie Brown — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:31:22 -0400

Like everywhere, the schools are individual. Most base schools are good. They reflect our values. The overseas DODDS schools are really good, imo

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 6:39 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:39:35 -0400

But how are the schools on bases in the United states? My kids will either be in 3rd or 4th grade depending when I do switch.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 6:41 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 18:41:50 -0400

I like that they reflect on our values. I appreciate it. We are very crazy about school education for them

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Mar 13 at 2019 7:17 PM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 19:17:53 -0400

It all depends. Most stateside base schools are public schools on the base. European assignments are DOD schools. DOD are excellent for the most part, very low teacher to student ratio. Thank you for your service.

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Mar 13 at 2019 7:20 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 19:20:44 -0400

SPC Private RallyPoint Member On post schools are run by local school districts and reflect their performance as a district. The only DOD Schools are overseas. They are pretty good. There are a handful of CONuS DODS Schools. One is at Fort Campbell, KY.

https://www.dodea.edu/aboutDoDEA/maps.cfm

I think the web site is GreatSchools. They rate schools by different dimensions and parent feedback. You need to gauge it duty station by duty station. Hope your fiancé has a credential free and clear. She'll have some obstacles in finding teaching work. Europe was a phalanx while we were there. Then when we left the DODEA head was fired for favoritism, hiring friends and relatives. DODS EUROPE was shrinking as well. She needs to look at states that have reciprocal agreements.

About DoDEA - Maps

DoDEA Today - Maps

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 7:24 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 19:24:20 -0400

I definitely appreciate all the info. I more so looking for schools my kids can go to and get a great education. My fiancè still finishing schooling for degree.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 9:20 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 21:20:49 -0400

I graduated from the high school on Ft. Sam Houston. It was my second high school because my dad PCS’d while I was a junior, so comparing it to a private catholic high school it was actually pretty good. A lot of involvement with the units and personnel from base. It was a “public” school but you could only attend if your parent(s) were stationed there. They also have a great transition program for new students and students leaving. All the faculty and staff were very supportive. I had siblings in middle and elementary school as well and those schools were the same way.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 13 at 2019 10:21 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 22:21:34 -0400

Most CONUS bases have schools run by the local district, so they're only as good as the surrounding area. But, overseas DODDS have some great teachers and they make a pretty great salary plus living expenses.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Mar 14 at 2019 11:54 AM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:54:49 -0400

It depends on the location. In the US, the local school districts operate on-installation schools. If you want good schools for your kids, PCS to a state where public schools are well funded and highly rated. Many different school ratings are available on the internet. Read carefully about what went into the surveys. Local school districts like DoD dependents because they get Federal money for each dependent kid they educate. Doesn't mean all of that money goes to the schools that handle the dependent population, but at least it helps fund the district. My kids saw a full range of schools in our moves around the US. In Mississippi, they attended private schools, because the public schools were terrible. Also, the grade school to which the base kids were bussed for racial balance was in an off-limits to military personnel area. On-base schools in Illinois were good, but lacked teachers able to handle special-needs kids. In Alaska, the schools were great. At the time, the schools were flush with cash because of oil revenue. Ten or twenty teachers applied for every job opening, so they could pick the best. Facilities were well funded and maintained. Later on, my daughter was bussed from or suburban neighborhood outside of Tampa to a downtown middle school during 7th grade. Law enforcement officers patrolled the halls to keep the gangs under control. She was scared every day, but kept her head down and got by. Teachers were overwhelmed. Fortunately, she only had to go there for one semester. The district built a new middle school in the suburbs and all 8th graders attended there with the minority kids bussed in.

We had no direct experience with DoD schools overseas. We did turn down a PCS to Germany because two of our kids would have been sent to a high school away from our home base and lived in dormitories. Not what we wanted for our kids. We took Alaska instead. One of our better decisions. I did fly a few missions in Europe dedicated to moving high school students around at the end of the school year. Some kids traveled from Germany to Greece or Turkey to be reunited with their parents. Some folks decided to send their kids to the local schools. Worked well in UK where the first language was real English. In Germany or Belgium, the kids were immersed in local language and culture giving them a "unique opportunity" to broaden their education.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Mar 14 at 2019 12:17 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 12:17:11 -0400

In "Military Towns", the schools tend to focus on MIL kids as a commodity. It isn't about values; it's about money and the Federal Impact Funds that comes with it. Parent didn't sign your report card yesterday? No problem. That Impact Survey not being back at O'Dark Thirty Now, you're in detention until a parent picks you up by presenting the Impact Survey Release Chit. Simply by sheer numbers, the culture of the school district shifts because they know where their bread is buttered.

I saw a number of DoDDS schools out there. Seemed to be well run. Base commanders tend to pay attention to them as they affect the morale of their people. Since the schools are run under a different appropriation and the base is prohibited from spending general O&M on them to make up a deficit, they get pretty sensitive about DoDDs "Efficiency Experts" dropping in.

Response by SFC Casey O'Mally made Mar 14 at 2019 11:47 PM

SFC Casey O'Mally — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 23:47:40 -0400

Research Research Research. You have already seen from the other answers that the on-base schools differ. But so do the off-base ones. When I was PCSing around with my kid, I literally picked my home based on the school. I researched the schools online, and narrowed them down to a "short-list." Then I went to the schools, toured the facilities, and interviewed the principals. Then I picked a school and told my realtor to find me a home in that district. You can do the same... If the on-base school wins, sign up for housing. If an off-base school wins, find a home in that area to rent or buy. (Also do your research regarding integration and busing policies, in some districts, you can live next door to the school, but be bused to a different one.)