The Foreign Service Journal, June 2017

82 JUNE 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT While the Office of Allowances sets the overall policy and rates, it does not provide funding; nor does it approve the disbursement of funds. Continued from page 78 reimbursed up to prescribed limits in the DSSR. Sec- tion 272.3 discusses school selection and has a number of instructive examples. Our website also has a compre- hensive FAQ section that covers this topic. Parents should know these levels of reimbursement and be mindful of the financial implications. Likewise, an “away from post” allow- ance may be available, depending on the country-specific rates. The post financial management officer (FMO) can discuss post specifics and the mechanics of education allowances with parents early on to ensure they understand how the relevant DSSR education rules apply to the facts and circumstances of each case. FLO: Who ultimately approves educa- tion allowance reimbursements? ALLOWANCES: The certifying officer at post, normally the FMO, approves edu- cation allowance reimbursements. While the Office of Allowances sets the overall policy and rates, it does not provide funding; nor does it approve the disbursement of funds. FLO: Have there been recent allowance changes that families should be aware of? ALLOWANCES: The DSSR has been updated in the past few years to include such things as the reim- bursement of school fees for the rental of computer equipment. See DSSR Section 277 for a complete list of reimbursable education expenses. FLO: One educational gap typically of great interest to parents is American history.