AS A BASIS FOR IMPROVING THE EDUCATION OF THE 160,000 CHILDREN OF OVERSEAS AMERICAN MILITARY AND CIVILIAN PERSONNEL, 1,639 TEACHERS IN 285 OF THE 327 DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE OVERSEAS DEPENDENTS SCHOOLS IN 28 COUNTRIES RESPONDED TO A 19-ITEM QUESTIONNAIRE COVERING TEACHING EXPERIENCE, EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, PERSONNEL PRACTICES, CLASSROOM MATERIALS, CLASS SIZE, AND TEACHING LOAD. DISTRIBUTIONS OF AMOUNT OF OVERSEAS TEACHING EXPERIENCE (AVERAGE OF 3.3 YEARS) AND OF FORMAL EDUCATION AMONG ELEMENTARY TEACHERS SHOW INCREASES IN PROPORTIONS OF ADVANCED DEGREE HOLDERS WITH INCREASES IN TEACHING EXPERIENCE. ONE THIRD OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS HELD ADVANCED DEGREES. SIXTEEN PERCENT OF THE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS AND 21 PERCENT OF THE SECONDARY TEACHERS WERE TEACHING PARTLY OR WHOLLY OUT OF THEIR FIELD OF TRAINING. ONE OF EVERY SIX OVERSEAS TEACHERS (MOSTLY WIVES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL) WAS HIRED LOCALLY, MOST BUT NOT ALL OF WHOM MET STATESIDE REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING. FOR THESE PERSONS, THE SECURITY AND TENURE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO "REGULAR" TEACHERS HAVE NOT BEEN IN EFFECT BUT ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. "DRASTIC" SHORTAGES OF BOOKS, SUPPLIES, AND TEACHERS (PARTICULARLY SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS OF SPECIALIZED SUBJECTS) WERE REPORTED AND, ALSO, CLASS SIZE IN EXCESS OF STATESIDE MEDIANS. PROVISIONS FOR SABBATICALS AND LEAVES OF ABSENCE, BUDGETING BASED ON STATESIDE PRACTICES, AND A SINGLE MANAGER FOR OVERSEAS SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL AREAS WERE RECOMMENDED. (LC)