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Save Our Schools

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Great News About DDESS

December 2, 2011 The threat to close DDESS schools has been averted yet 
again! Yesterday (December 1) we reported that our DDESS schools were under threat 
from a pair of proposed amendments to the DoD Authorization Act. The
 amendments sought to either close DDESS schools outright or conduct yet
 another study into their value. We all know that DDESS schools provide
 an excellent education and are a fantastic quality of life perk for
 military families at bases with DDESS schools. Fortunately, neither of
 the proposed amendments affecting DDESS were included in the final DoD
 Authorization Act bill, so for now at least, the threat to DDESS schools
 has passed. A very big thanks goes to our NEA lobbying team for their
 work to convince Senators of the need to maintain, not destroy, our
 DDESS schools. We will of course remain vigilant against future efforts 
to balance the budget on the backs of military dependents and their
 families. For now though, let's celebrate this very good news!

Tell Congress:

Closing DDESS Schools Is Bad for Everyone

Among the ideas being considered to slash federal spending is closing some or all of the 64 schools in DDESS (Defense Dependents Elementary and Secondary Schools) and transferring responsibility for educating approximately 26,000 DDESS students to the local public schools near each base.

Doing so will not only end one of the most successful school systems in America, it will add to the burdens on local public schools that already struggle due to inadequate federal Impact Aid funding and decreases in state/local education funding.

Politicians need to be told loud and clear: "DO NOT CLOSE DDESS SCHOOLS AND ADD TO THE BURDENS ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES!!"


Local Public Schools Near the Following Facilities Would be Affected if DDESS Schools Are Closed

  • Alabama - Fort Rucker, Maxwell Air Force Base
  • Georgia - Fort Benning, Fort Stewart
  • Kentucky - Fort Knox, Fort Campbell
  • New York - West Point
  • North Carolina - Camp Lejeune, Fort Bragg
  • South Carolina - Fort Jackson, Laurel Bay (MCAS Beaufort)
  • Virginia - MCB Quantico, NSWC Dahlgren
  • Tennessee - Fort Campbell