GAO Study of Overseas Department of Defense Dependents' Schools

GAO discussed its ongoing examination of the Department of Defense's (DOD) overseas dependents' schools. GAO noted that DOD schools in the Phillipines: (1) allowed one of seven students to graduate without meeting minimum graduation requirements; (2) maintained records of teacher certification and recertification; (3) did not adequately document whether teachers met minimum employment qualifications; (4) employed 1,079 teachers between 1986 and 1988, 20 of whom did not meet minimum qualifications; (5) generally properly conducted and completed required teacher evaluations; (6) lacked an effective system for responding to parents' and teachers' concerns; (7) trained teams of teachers, counselors, nurses, and administrators to implement a drug use prevention program for all grades; and (8) corrected all facility weaknesses identified at 5 of 19 schools and half of identified weaknesses at 12 schools. GAO noted that it also plans to study DOD dependents' schools in Germany.