Full-day universal pre-K is coming to Ramstein Elementary School in Germany, Kleine Brogel Elementary in Belgium, and several schools at Fort Campbell, Ky. during the upcoming school year, the Department of Defense Education Activity said July 24, 2025. The additions are part of DODEA’s plan to expand universal pre-K access to all eligible military-connected families. (Department of Defense Dependent Schools)
Full-day pre-kindergarten will be offered at more schools in the U.S. and Europe in the fall as the military’s school system expands access to the program worldwide.
The Department of Defense Education Activity said full-day instruction will be available to pre-K students at Ramstein Elementary School in Germany, Kleine Brogel Elementary in Belgium and several schools at Fort Campbell, Ky.
The greater access to pre-K is “a major milestone in our mission to support military families and sets the foundation for lifelong learning,” DODEA director Beth Schiavino-Narvaez said in a statement Thursday. “These early learning opportunities strengthen academic outcomes and enhance family readiness across our communities.”
The recently added schools are part of DODEA’s multiyear plan to bring pre-K to all eligible military-connected families. The next phase will involve schools in the Ansbach and Wiesbaden areas of Germany, DODEA said.
The five-year implementation strategy launched in 2023-2024, with MC Perry Primary School in Iwakuni, Japan, becoming the first school to offer full-day prekindergarten.
Pre-K was offered in 80 of 90 DODEA elementary schools during the most recent school year. The free program, available to children who turn 4 on or before Sept. 1 each year, was offered at all but five of 34 primary schools in Europe.
Expanding pre-K services has involved minor building upgrades, including child-friendly restrooms and age-appropriate playgrounds, DODEA said.
When completed, about 5,000 prekindergarten students across 60 military communities worldwide will have access to full-day services, DODEA said.
