Q. What is the “NDSP”?

A. The “NDSP” stands for the Non-DoD Schools Program. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) oversees and manages the program worldwide. The program was established to provide educational guidance and financial support to authorized dependents of eligible DoD sponsors assigned to foreign locations outside the commuting area of a DoD school to facilitate opportunities for access to available educational program comparable to that offered in the DoDEA that will support the transition of students to public schools in the United States.

Q. How do I know if my dependent is eligible for educational funding through the NDSP?

A. Eligibility to attend a non-DoD school at Government expense is limited to command-sponsored dependents only. A command sponsored dependent is a minor residing with the active duty military or full-time DoD civilian sponsor at an OCONUS location where an accompanied-by-dependent tour is authorized; the sponsor is authorized to serve that tour, and where the dependents meet the following criteria: 

1. The dependent is eligible for travel to or from the member’s permanent duty station;
2. The dependent is authorized by the appropriate authority to be at the member’s permanent duty station; and 
3. As a result of the dependent’s residence in the vicinity of the sponsor’s permanent duty station, the sponsor is entitled to station allowance at the “with family” rate.

Q. How do I register my child in a non-DoD School?

A. Contact your local NDSP Liaison or Point of Contact (POC). The NDSP Liaison/POC will provide you with a NDSP Application Package containing:

1. Application for Enrollment (DoDEA Form 610), 
2. Request for Reimbursement of Transportation Expenses,
3. Verification of Eligibility if dependents are not in the Permanent change of station orders, and
4. Funds Request Sheet (FRS). Each of these forms need to be filled out COMPLETELY and returned to your NDSP Liaison/POC. The NDSP Liaison/POC will forward your completed application package to the DoDEA HQ NDSP.
   

The enrollment package will be reviewed by the NDSP staff. Once you receive notice that your dependent’s eligibility for enrollment has been approved THEN, and only then, can you proceed to enroll your child into the non-DoD school of your choice.

DoDEA HQ NDSP MUST APPROVE THE ELIGIBILITY FOR ENROLLMENT AND FUNDING BEFORE YOUR DEPENDENT IS ENROLLED IN THE NON-DOD SCHOOL. Enrolling the child prior to approval may result in denial of funds from the NDSP.

Q. How do I know my child will receive a quality education at a non-DoD School? Also, how can we insure that our child will be placed in the correct grade upon our return from overseas?

A. Base schools are certified by the Department of State-Office of Overseas Schools to ensure educational standards and curriculums are equivalent to those in U.S. public schools. Parents are entitled, through freedom of choice (DSSR 272.3 Selection of School), to enroll their dependent in a school other than the State Department base school. It is then the responsibility of the parent to gather information on curriculum and educational standards, then comparing that data to the base school. For children in high-school, special attention should be focused on graduation requirements for seniors who will be returning to the States for their senior year to ensure all graduation requirements are being met. It should be noted that reimbursement for tuition and allowable expenses is limited to that of the base school.

Q. How do I get approval and funding to use home-based educational programs for my child?

A. NDSP Liaison can provide you with enrollment application package, the Home Based Education Plan and a list of allowable and non-allowable expenses for home-based education. Once you have completed the application package and Home Based Education Plan it should be returned to your NDSP Liaison who will forward it to the HQ NDSP staff memberfor processing. Once approved, the sponsor can begin purchasing allowable materials for use in the home-based educational program. (DSSR 277.3) Standard allowance rates for those choosing to home school their children are K-8, up to $5,700 and 9-12, up to $7,700. (DSSR 274.12.b) Receipts and/or proof of purchases are required for all items being claimed, and should be submitted to your local NDSP Liaison/POC. The NDSP Liaison/POC will submit to the Area NDSP Education ISS for approval prior to HQ processing for reimbursement. The Area NDSP Education ISS must review and approve all education materials to insure age/grade appropriateness.

Q. How do we find the correct information on school policies? How do we insure that this information is given to the MILGP/USDAOs when a change has been made?

A. The local NDSP Liaison/POC is responsible for informing sponsors of changes in Program policies. The NDSP Liaison/POC is responsible for maintaining communication with the local non-DoD schools and their changing school policies. Changes to the NDSP policies and regulations are distributed to all NDSP Liaisons/POC world-wide, and are then distributed to the Embassy, commands and sponsors, as appropriate. Additionally, the NDSP website has the most up-to-date regulations, policies and forms.

Q. What if the DSSR for a location isn’t enough to cover the costs of tuition and other allowable expenses in our location? How can the Embassy get that changed so the parents are not paying out of pocket?

A. Sponsors must notify their commands to request assistance from HQ DoDEA NDSP.

Q. What are “one time fees”? When are they funded and for how much? How many times they can be claimed?

A. One time fees are non-refundable amounts charged by schools not recurring in subsequent years of enrollment such as building fees, registration fees, matriculation fees, or admission fees, charged to just certain children in a family. 

The NDSP agrees to pay non-refundable, one time fees equal to the total amount of one time fees charged at the base school. These fees must be listed on the publicized school tuition fee schedule, and they must be fees that are applicable to the local families when they enroll their children. Claims for reimbursement of one time fees do not decrease your amount allowable for tuition and other allowable expenses under the DSSR rate – reimbursement for one time fees are funded in addition to the DSSR education allowance.

“One Time Fees” are just that…only paid ONCE during an assignment except in certain cases when:

• A school attended does not offer the next grade (e.g., middle to high school);
• The school attended cannot offer the appropriate programs;
• The school attended is not the base school and charges less than the Base School costs, thus, up to the difference between the two costs could be paid should the sponsor elect to change their child’s school.

Q. Does the NDSP fund testing and evaluation of services for non-severe learning education needs?

A. State Department Regulation 276.8, “Special Needs Child”, states that NDSP will pay for diagnostics testing and for items specifically mandated by a child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP). It should be noted that the DSSR for special needs children is not regulated by country or location. NDSP will reimburse up to $57,300 “school at post” rate or $77,400 “school away from post” rate for special needs education per student, per school year. In addition to the DSSR allowance, funding for tutoring is reimbursed if deemed mandatory by the child’s IEP.

If testing or assessment facilities are not available locally, arrangements can be made through the NDSP for Stateside assessment at either a Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary School (DDESS) site or through coordination with another medical facility. The NDSP is authorized to fund the transportation related to the assessment. Logistical and assessment arrangements are handled directly by the NDSP Area Education Instructional Systems Specialist (ISS).

Q. What financial assistance is available to cover unexpected expenses such as PSAT/SAT/ACT?

A. PSAT examination fees for students in grades 10 and 11 may be reimbursed. PSAT examination preparation courses may not be reimbursed. Costs for SAT/ACT examinations are not authorized. Travel expenses to and from SAT testing centers will not be reimbursed. Costs for SAT/ACT preparation courses and materials are not authorized

Q. How does one enroll a child with special needs in the Non-DoD Schools Program?

A. IIf you are new to post and this is your first time enrolling your child in the NDSP, you will need to contact your NDSP Liaison/POC immediately to facilitate a smooth transition and continuity of services for your dependent. In addition to the NDSP application package, we ask that the sponsor submit any previous documentation to support the identification and services needed to support the child's special needs. This may include copies of previous assessments, Individual Education Plan (IEP) from previous school, Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) reports/assessments or letters or standardized test results from pervious school enrolled. Documentation must be given to your NDSP Liaison/POC for submission to the pertinent Area Education NDSP Coordinator. 

The DSSR Educational Allowance for special needs children is up to $47,900 per school year, per student. In addition to the DSSR, up to $4,100 per school year, per student is allowed for tutoring and summer school - as directly mandated by the IEP. For returning students on an IEP, progress reports may be requested to monitor effectiveness of services. Your NDSP Liaison/POC has application/eligibility forms.

Q. What additional funding support is available for students whose education is funded by SAO or T-20 funds?

A. Students whose tuition and annual fees are funded with SAO or T-20 funding are eligible for evaluation/assessment by the pertinent Area NDSP Education Coordinator. Enrollment in the NDSP and supporting documentation of needs is required before evaluation or assessment. The NDSP Lisison/POC should enroll and track all students receiving educational support in accordance with the NDSP regulations so that supplemental instruction support and special needs support is extended to all eligible sponsors and their dependents.

Q. Why and where in the regulation does it say that PTA charges should be paid by the parents?

A. DoDEA Regulation 1035.1, Enclosure 4, E4.8 Miscellaneous. The reason it is an unauthorized cost for reimbursement is that PTA/PTO dues are fees that parents pay out of pocket when attending a tax-supported public school in the United States.

Q. The local non-DoD school is requiring uniforms for certain functions this year. Are we authorized reimbursement for these?

A. Uniforms of any kind are an unauthorized expense for reimbursement IAW DoDEA Regulation 1035.1, Enclosure 4, E4.15. The only exception is covered under E3.10.

Q. We have an individual whose child has been back in the states living with his mom. A decision was made to have the child move to post to live with dad…unexpectedly. The individual is having his sending command amend his order to show command sponsorship. The question is; since he hasn’t received those new orders yet and school is starting, can he pay out of pocket now and then get reimbursed for the costs after he receives the orders? Or would he not be eligible until he receives the amended orders?

A. In situations where command-sponsorship of a dependent has been formally requested through the chain of command, the NDSP Program Manager will work with the sending command to verify status of request. Each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and every effort will be made to support the educational continuity of the DoD dependent where possible.

Q. For a student receiving a home-based education, are proctoring fees reimbursable? What about fees for extending testing dates due to PCSing?

A. When proof that a proctored test must be administered as part of the home-based educational programs curriculum, proctoring fees will be reimbursed. Additionally, when required testing must be rescheduled because of transition issues, DoDEA NDSP is authorized to reimburse, within reasonable limits.

Q. I would like to know the NDSP funding policy regarding a student enrolled in a non-DoD school (senior year) whose sponsor has to leave early. Will NDSP pay the entire school year tuition and related fees?

A. Yes. For continuity of education for the dependent, NDSP regulation authorizes continued payment of expenses through the completion of the current school year for a dependent whose sponsor transfers during the school year.

Q. Will NDSP approve and fund fees for a religious school?

A. Yes. The parent has the freedom to choose any school they feel best meets the educational needs of their child. However, the reimbursement of educational expenses is limited to the DSSR educational allowance rate. The DSSR rate is typically calculated using the fees charged by the base school. Part of the criteria for a base school is that is does not mandate denominational religious instruction, so it is possible the DSSR rate may not cover all fees incurred. Parent would be responsible for any amounts which exceed the DSSR rate.