Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) teacher Kara Ball, an elementary teacher at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C., is one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year award.  According to an Education Week report,

Ball teaches elementary students from military families at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, N.C. Science, technology, engineering, and math, along with project-based learning, are major components of her instruction. (Every year, her students dissect sharks!)

Unfortunately, I don’t spend enough time addressing the condition and quality of DoDEA schools, mostly because they are operated (obviously) by the Department of Defense.

In November, I noted that military families strongly support educational options.  It’s not clear whether that is an indictment of DoDEA schools or of the public school districts that serve military families.  Of course, if DoD schools are filled with outstanding teachers like Kara, perhaps it reflects their opinion of the latter.