Education Information Resources in the Department of State

Offices that serve as education resources for Foreign Service families are the Family Liaison Office, the Office of Overseas Schools, FSI's Transition Center / Overseas Briefing Center, the Employee Consultation Service, the Office of Allowances, and the American Foreign Service Association (for scholarships).

FAMILY LIAISON OFFICE (M/DGHR/FLO)
FLO's Education and Youth Officer provides information and counsel to families and Community Liaison Office Coordinators on the following: education options at posts overseas, U.S. boarding schools, international day and boarding schools, Washington area public and private schools, online education (K - adult), the college admissions process, financial aid, standardized educational testing, children with special educational needs, and summer programs. Working with the Transition Center and the Office of Overseas Schools, FLO's Education Officer presents seminars on educating the Foreign Service child. The officer also works with Around the World in A Lifetime (AWAL), the Foreign Service teen group, and the Globe Trotter pre-teen group, through the Foreign Service Youth Foundation (FSYF). 

Room 1239
Department of State
Washington, DC 20520-7512
8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tel: 202-647-1076, 800-440-0397 / Fax: 202-647-1670
http://www.state.gov/m/dghr/flo
Email: FLOAskEducation@state.gov

OFFICE OF OVERSEAS SCHOOLS (A/OPR/OS)
The Office of Overseas Schools (A/OPR/OS) is staffed with regional education officers, each assigned oversight of a geographic region, who are well-informed about schools attended by U.S. government school-age children. Families are encouraged to contact the designated Regional Education Officer to discuss educational options at post.

A/OPR/OS publishes fact sheets and a directory of overseas schools assisted by the Department of State. It also maintains a resource center with information such as yearbooks, newsletters, school profiles, curriculums, and a few videotapes from schools normally attended by U.S. government dependents. It publishes the Summary School Information Form (available on CD-ROM and hard copy), giving detailed information on course offerings, special programs, programs for children with special needs, extracurricular activities, and graduation requirements. The CD-ROM packet is distributed to all posts worldwide. In Washington the CD-ROM can be viewed at: the Department of State in A/OPR/OS, FLO, OBC, and the Employee Services Center; at the US Agency for International Development, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. Fact sheets can be viewed on the Internet at http://www.state.gov/m/a/os.

Room H328, SA-1
Department of State
Washington, DC 20522-0132
Tel: 202-261-8200 / Fax: 202-261-8224
http://www.state.gov/m/a/os
Email: OverseasSchools@state.gov

EMPLOYEE CONSULTATION SERVICE (M/MED/ECS)
Psychiatric social workers at the Employee Consultation Service offer consultation, evaluation, and referral services to families of U.S. government employees assigned to diplomatic posts abroad who have school-aged children with learning, emotional, or other disabilities. Walk-ins are welcome, or you may schedule an appointment.

Employee Consultation Service Main Office
Columbia Plaza - Room H246
Washington, DC 20520-2256
8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tel: 202-663-1815 / Fax: 202-663-1456

AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Associates of American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW) and the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) provide merit-based scholarships to high school seniors for their freshman year in college. AFSA also provides need-based financial aid for undergraduates.

2101 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20037
Tel: 202-944-5504 / Fax: 202-338-6820
http://www.afsa.org

TRANSITION CENTER'S OVERSEAS BRIEFING CENTER (M/FSI/TC/OBC)
The FSI Transition Center Overseas Briefing Center (OBC) keeps files on post schools including handbooks, newsletters, personal comments, and yearbooks. For some schools, they have slides or videotapes on file.  No appointment is necessary if you have a pass to enter the facility. 

National Foreign Affairs Training Center
4000 Arlington Blvd
Room E2126, SA-42
Arlington, VA 22204
8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Tel: 703-302-7275 / Fax: 703-302-7452
Email: FSIOBCInfoCenter@state.gov
http://www.state.gov/m/fsi/tc

OFFICE OF ALLOWANCES (A/OPR/ALS)
The Office of Allowances can answer specific questions on schooling allowances.  This office calculates allowances for each post, and sets special education and supplemental education allowances. Many questions can be answered by phone.

Room H426, SA-1
Department of State
Washington, DC 20522-0104
Columbia Plaza Room 426 High Rise
7:15 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Tel: 202 261-8700; Fax: 202-261-8707
Email: Allowances0@state.gov
http://www.state.gov/m/a/als

Information provided by the Family Liaison Office
Contact the Family Liaison Office