Military Life: Children and Adolescen
o Explain the chain of command for Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. o Explain benefits and challenges for students attending DoDEA schools. o Briefly describe the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children and why it is critical for helping professionals supporting students transitioning to Local Education Activities (LEAs). o Explain two aspects of military culture, in general, that can positively or negatively affect the social and academic success of military students Please use the following for the paper. • Wilson, E. (2010, September 21). DOD supports military children in public schools. American Forces Press Service. Retrieved from http://www(dot)defense(dot)gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=60951 • U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity. (n.d.). About DoDEA: History. Retrieved from http://www(dot)dodea(dot)edu/aboutDoDEA/history.cfm • U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity – DoDEA Americas. (n.d.). DDESS history. Retrieved from http://www(dot)dodea(dot)edu/Americas/aboutAm/amHistory.cfm
Education Offered through the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schoolsName:Institution:
1.1 The chain of command
The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is under the Department of Defense. It is understood as a field activity that follows a specific chain of command. DoDEA operates under the authority of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personal and Readiness in collaboration with the office of the "Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy" (Wilson, 2010). DoDEA is made of up of two different schools systems which include; the DoD Department Schools (DoDDS) and DoD Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary (DDESS). DoDDS is the overseas school system while the DDESS is the domestic school system.
In order to execute responsibilities, there are a number of offices involved besides the offices of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personal and Readiness and that of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy. According to the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (n.d), at the bottom of the command chain is the DoDEA Pacific (DoDDS-P / DDESS Guam) which has four District Superintendents in Okinawa District, Japan District, Korea District and Guam District. The District Superintendents are answerable to the Directors at the DoDEA Pacific. Up on the chain is the DoDEA Europe (DoDDS-E) which has District Superintendents who report to the Directors as well. The districts in this rank include Kaiserslautern District, Isles District, Bavaria District and Mediterranean District. A rank higher than DoDEA Europe is the DoDEA Americas (DDESS / DoDDS Cuba) which is also headed by directors. Like other lower ranks, the DoDEA Americas comprise of districts which are under the authority of the District Superintendents. These districts include Kentucky District, New York/Virginia/ Puerto Rico District, South Carolina/Fort Stewart District/DoDDS Cuba District, Fort Bragg District, Georgia/Alabama District, and Camp Lejeune District. The rank higher than the DoDEA Americas is the DoDEA Headquarters which is under DoDEA Director, assisted by the Principal Deputy Director & Associate Director for Education and Associate Director for Financial & Business Operations. Lastly, at the top is the Executive and the DoD which comprise of the offices of the President, Secretary of Defense, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Readiness and Force Management (ASD(R&FM)), down the chain of command (U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity, (n.d)).
1.2 Benefits for students attending DoDEA schools
The adopted double systems benefit the DoDEA students because they offer a world-class education program which is meant to both inspire and prepare all students coming from military communities in the world, making them responsible and successful citizens in the dynamically globalizing environment. These systems have made it to be considered the "showcase for educational excellence" (Wilson, 2010).
According to the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (n.d), the progress of students in DoDEA schools is closely monitored through standardized tests. In order to determine their progress, the students take the Terra Nova Achievement Test, which is a norm-referenced tests suited for students in grades 3-11. It has been witnessed that DoDEA students perform better, surpassing the expected national average in every grade and subject area tested. Besides this, these students-DoDDS and DDESS students- also perform better in the "National Assessment of Educational Progress (NA...