The Pentagon’s schools, serving more than 66,000 military students, have achieved remarkable educational outcomes, outscoring all jurisdictions on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The US Department of Defense’s well-funded, racially integrated, and centralized structure, along with access to housing, health care, and competitive salaries for teachers, contributes to their success. “Having as many of those basic needs met does help set the scene for learning to occur,” said Jessica Thorne, the principal at E.A. White Elementary.