The Foreign Service Journal, December 2016

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | DECEMBER 2016 97 E mployees of government agencies assigned overseas are granted allowances to help defray the cost of an education for their children in kindergarten through 12th grade, one equivalent to that provided by public school systems in the United States. In most cases, posts abroad are served by one or more English-language, American curriculum schools. The allowances for a specific post are determined by the fees charged by a school identified as providing a basic U.S.- type education. Parents may use this allowance to send their children to a different school of their choice—say, a parochial or foreign-language institution. If the alternative school is more expensive than the “base” school, the difference would be an out-of-pocket expense for the parents. An allowance covers only expenses for those services usually available without cost in American public schools, including tuition, transportation and textbooks. Parents may also elect to homeschool their children while at post, using a home study program or a virtual online educational program. They will receive an allowance to purchase materials and services while posted abroad. If a foreign country does not have a secular, English- language school with an American curriculum, or has such a school that goes only through certain grades, an away-from- post or “boarding school” allowance is provided. The U.S. government does not provide an allowance for college or other post-secondary education. There are several offices in the Department of State pre- pared to help you understand how the educational allowances work, and what choices you have for your children. These include the Office of Overseas Schools (www.state.gov/m/a/ os), the Office of Allowances (www.state.gov/m/a/als) and the Family Liaison Office (www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo/c1958.htm) . For information or assistance contact FLOAskEducation@ state.gov or call (202) 647-1076. Excerpts from an article by PamelaWard, a former regional edu- cation officer in the State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools, in the December 2014 FSJ. Note: The regulations governing allowances are always chang- ing. For the most up-to-date information, please contact FLO, the Office of Allowances or the Office of Overseas Schools. T he ABCs of Education Allowances