Department of Defense Education Activity - History

History

Shortly after the end of World War II, the United States military established schools for the children of its servicemen stationed in Europe and East Asia (at that time, servicewomen were not allowed to be mothers and remain on active duty).

Schools for children of military members stationed in the United States were established in the South after President Truman's 1949 order desegregating the United State military services. The need for integrated schools can be seen in the pattern of today's Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS).

First administered by the military branches they served, the growing number of schools was soon transferred to civilian managers. Federal schools in the United States meant to serve the children of military and federal personnel were known as "Section 6 schools," and defined in federal directives as, "When a DoD-operated school is established on Federal property to provide a free public education for eligible children or, if not established on such property, the eligible child resides on such property."

Overseas schools were often titled, "American Dependent Schools." They were staffed mainly by teachers recruited from the United States. The European branch of the overseas dependent schools was called the United States Dependents Schools, European Area (USDESEA).

Later, the various organizations were combined and two separate but parallel systems developed: the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) overseas, and the Department of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools in the United States. In 1994 the two systems were brought together under an umbrella agency, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).

In June 2011, an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Defense substantiated allegations of abuse of power by DoDEA's former director, Shirley Miles. The abuses included violations of federal law and DoD policies in hiring and personnel practices and travel entitlements. Miles was removed as director in June 2010 and replaced by Marilee Fitzgerald.

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