§923a — Title 20 Education | U.S. Code

Summary

Allows the Secretary of Defense to let certain children attend Defense Dependents’ Education System (DDES) schools for free under rules the Secretary makes. That includes children of full-time, locally hired DoD employees overseas who are U.S. citizens or nationals, and children of foreign military members assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe (only in Mons, Belgium) or to the United Nations Command (only in South Korea or Japan). The Secretary may use DDES funds to pay for their schooling. The Secretary must create a method, using an estimate of the total number of dependents of sponsors under section 932(2) enrolled in the schools named above and with advice from the geographic combatant commanders, to decide how many of the paragraph (2) children may enroll. If more children want in than the number set, the Secretary may allow extra children to enroll tuition-free on a space-available basis even if section 923(d)(2) would otherwise limit that.

Title 20, §923a

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Under regulations to be prescribed by the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary may authorize the enrollment in schools of the defense dependents’ education system on a tuition-free basis of—

(1)the children of full-time, locally-hired employees of the Department of Defense in an overseas area if such employees are citizens or nationals of the United States; and

(2)the children of foreign military members assigned to—

(A)the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe, but only in a school of the defense dependents’ education system in Mons, Belgium; or

(B)the United Nations Command, but only in a school of the defense dependents’ education system in South Korea or Japan.

(b)The Secretary may use funds available for the defense dependents’ education system to provide for the education of children enrolled in the defense dependents’ education system under subsection (a).

(c)(1)In the regulations required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall prescribe a methodology based on the estimated total number of dependents of sponsors under section 932(2) of this title enrolled in schools of the defense dependents’ education system described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to determine the number of children described in that paragraph who will be authorized to enroll under such subsection. The Secretary shall prescribe such methodology with the advice and assistance of the commanders of the geographic combatant commands with jurisdiction over the locations described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a).

(2)If the number of children described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) who seek enrollment in schools of the defense dependents’ education system exceeds the number authorized by the Secretary under paragraph (1), the Secretary may enroll the additional children on a space-available, tuition-free basis notwithstanding section 923(d)(2) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2024—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 118–159, § 597(1), substituted “foreign military members assigned to—” for “a foreign military member assigned to”, designated remainder of existing provisions as subpar. (A), and added subpar. (B). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 118–159, § 597(2)(A), struck out “assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers, Europe” after “members” in heading. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 118–159, § 597(2)(B), substituted “described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a) to determine the number of children described in that paragraph” for “in Mons, Belgium, to determine the number of children described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a)” in first sentence and “the commanders of the geographic combatant commands with jurisdiction over the locations described in paragraph (2) of subsection (a)” for “the commander of the geographic combatant command with jurisdiction over Mons, Belgium” in second sentence. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 118–159, § 597(2)(C), struck out “in Mons, Belgium,” after “education system”. 2009—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–84, § 535(a), struck out “, and only through the 2010–2011 school year” before period at end. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 111–84, § 535(b), inserted at end “The Secretary shall prescribe such methodology with the advice and assistance of the commander of the geographic combatant command with jurisdiction over Mons, Belgium.” 2008—Pub. L. 110–181, § 1063(e)(1), made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 109–163, § 571, which enacted this section. 2006—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 109–364, § 571(a)(1), substituted “basis of—” for “basis of”, designated part of existing provisions as par. (1), substituted “; and” for period at end, and added par. (2). Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 109–364, § 571(a)(2), added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 Amendment Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, § 1063(e), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 323, provided that the amendment made by section 1063(e) of Pub. L. 110–181 is effective as of Jan. 6, 2006, and as if included in Pub. L. 109–163 as enacted.

§923a Enrollment of Certain Additional Children on Tuition-free Basis