DoD Schools vs Public Schools?

theaustins05

Where do you choose to school your school aged children? What is your experience with your school of choice?

I have a few years before I have to worry about this but I was just collecting info for the future.

[Poll]

Ilumine

The factors that go into a decision on where you send your child are small or simple. It all depends on where YOU are living at the time.  You have to weigh:

1. cirriculum - some states have a better overall cirriculm than others
2. text books - I am not talking political or religious slants, but if the books are factual or not.  You would be surprised over the number of mis dates and names in our kids history and english books.
3. number of kids, both overall and teacher to kid ratio
4. safety - both in the surroundings and on campus. My SS went to a horrid middle school.  He was bullied and every one of the teachers knew it.  But their response was (direct quote here) "We just cannot watch all of these kids all of the time.  SS needs to keep his head down and mouth shut to stay safe".  The school was actually a GOOD school on its educational merits, but we were very glad when we got our overseas assignment.
5. access to extras like music, art and sports - I want a well rounded child thank you very much.  It is getting harder and harder to get the grants and scholarships
6. travel time - for me, I would take a Catholic school that is w/in walking distance over a public school where my child has to ride a bus for 30+ min 2x a day.  I have come to value  TIME for both me and my kids.

We are blessed that we are in Germany and have a DoDDs school right now.  Because if we were in FL still, we would be bleeding money keeping SS in a private school, be it Catholic or Baptist. 

But were we near where I grew up, my kids would be going to the local public school vs the private schools, because THEY are better.

lisa&andy

We aren't ready for school here, but in my search for a teaching job and a new house when we moved last year, had me researching schools. I will say that where we are at, the immediate schools are great, but other schools in the district are not. If I have my choice they will go to private school, we live too far from post and there is not a DoD school there yet.

*Krista*

It depends entirely on the state and school district. If we get extended here, we would send him to private school. If the next place we end up has a good public school system, he will go to a public school. 

sigOwife

Well, the question of DoD Schools only applies to certain duty stations within the U.S. 

 

 https://www.am.dodea.edu/ddessasc/districts/schools.html

 

Many installations that have elementary and middle schools are run by the local school public school district. 

The link above shows which states have DoD run schools.  

1momma

if we are here, while we have kids in school they will go to a public school, unless we get a DoD school on base. From what I've heard and looked at the school system out here is terrible.