Santo Domingo - Post Report Question and Answers
What is the availability of international schools? What has been your general experience with them, if any?
Carol Moraga. The school is quite decent, though it offers a limited range of after-school activities and entails a 45-minute commute from the housing compound. - Sep 2023
Carol Morgan, good school but with a terribly long commute, 45 minutes to an hour each way. Sports after school are lacking, in my opinion. - Oct 2021
There are at least three in Santo Domingo, but I only know about Carol Morgan School, the premier K-12 school in the country. It has instructors from a range of English-speaking countries and the Dominican Republic and amazing facilities. - Jan 2021
Local schools dominated by local kids who do not want to socialize with foreign kids. This is a challenge, depending on the kid. - Jul 2019
Per a previous post: The schools, particularly Carol Morgan, are decent academically. Problem is social integration for middle/high school foreign students. It seems to be a constant complaint. While some older kids manage to break the barrier and befriend many local kids, most do not. So this might be of concern for parents of middle/high schoolers. - Jan 2019
. - Nov 2016
The schools, particularly Carol Morgan, are decent academically. Problem is social integration for middle/high school foreign students. It's a constant complaint. While some older kids manage to break the barrier and befriend many Dominican kids, most do not. So this should be a concern for parents of middle/high schoolers. - Apr 2016
My child attends a bilingual preschool, there are several of these types of schools available. Most kids go to Carol Morgan or St. George. There are a lot of private, bilingual schools and I think most people are happy with the options available. - Jan 2016
Several options available but if your children don't have much or any Spanish and you don't want full immersion, Carol Morgan School is the best option. The school is decent but the athletics department (or lack there of) was a huge letdown. We were given very misleading information prior to arrival from the CLO and the school. Academics seem to be fine. The population is largely wealthy Dominicans. Overall, our children were happy and were not mistreated by the kids that have grown up in the school. - Jan 2016
Carol Morgan is a really good school. - Aug 2015
Many, many, many. From preschool to high school. - Aug 2015
My children went to the Carol Morgan School and had a wonderful experience. My son graduated from HS and it was a memorable experience for him as he played on the school basketball team. There are an additonal eight other schools that meet the stringent U.S. standards. - Aug 2014
We placed our school-aged son in a private bilingual school that only a few families use. It is more middle class than the traditional schools used (Carol Morgan and St. George). We had a very good experience there, although he didn't make as many friends as he might have. His Spanish is terrific after 2 years there. - Jul 2013
Our kids attend St. George School. It is a bilingual pre-K-12 school. We have a 5th grader and a 2nd grader and they have been happy there. I have also heard good things about the Community for Learning School. Carol Morgan School has the nicest facilities. Some families really seem to like it there. Others have not had a positive experience. - Apr 2013
Our children attended Carol Morgan School. This has become a school for rich Dominican kids with Americans not always well accepted. Academics are okay to good, but social issues are generally ignored by the administration. This was our worst experience of five international schools we've attended. - Jan 2013
Carol Morgan is a fairly solid institution, on a par with an above-average school in the U.S. Like in many Latin American societies, integration can be tricky since these schools are dominated by rich locals who want to send their kids to college in the U.S. So 80 percent of the students are affluent Dominican kids who are not dying to meet new kids. Some foreign kids find their niche quite well, while others take much longer. This is a challenge to prepare your kids for--versus an international school with a truly diverse student body in, say, Africa or Asia. - Jun 2012
We use a local Montessori school and have been extremely happy with it. The main Embassy school (Carol Morgan) has its share of issues. I'm not in a position to comment on them. There are other options, however. - Mar 2012
The Carol Morgan school is supposed to be good. People also have their kids in St. Georges and New Horizons. They schools here are generally good. - Feb 2012
Just have a little kid who goes to a local preschool - Feb 2012
New Horizons, is good. - Oct 2011
Carol Morgan is backed by the Embassy and is considered a good school. We used an alternate school, as many other families have done, and I would not recommend it (El Dominico Americano) to anyone who wants an organized environment for their children. - May 2011
good schools, but the dominican elite go to these schools and are clicky and a bit nasty. its hard for the kids to make friends from what they say. - Nov 2010
My children went to Carol Morgan school. I can honestly say, with agreement from the majority of the U.S. Embassy community, Carol Morgan school is awful. Do NOT send your children there. The kids that attend Carol Morgan are completely out of control. Additionally, it is NOT an international school. The vast majority of the children are local kids, and have know each other since kindergarten. The reason that this is a problem is that new students are not able to make friends and break into the “clicks” that have existed for years. - Aug 2010
We had our children at Carol Morgan, but because of the distance from our house and our desire for them to learn more Spanish, we are switching schools next year. - Jun 2010
The only true international school is Carol Morgan. There are many problems from preschool to highschool. Poor administration and consistent mismanagement are the norm for this school. The headmaster is entrenched in the school and community and probably should have left a long time ago; he is way past his prime. There are many personal issues among the administration (and also staff) that make the school a snakepit of issues for parents. This year's opening of a new media center and library will help with resources -- but at the same time, poor hires and "stuffing the ballot box" for the board elections continue the same old issues. Embassy community members are second- or third-class citizens at this school. - May 2009
Our school is 90% wealthy Dominican, and that's rough in the upper-elementary, middle and high school where there are strong cliques. Even in the 2nd grade kids might tease if your 7 year-old doesn't have a cell phone. In the elementary school where I work, Dominicans mostly play with Dominicans, the Asian kids hang together, Columbians, Mexicans, etc. play together, and American embassy children play with each other. The school is good, and although not highly academic, there does exist an AP program. Ivy-bound students go to boarding schools in the States. - Nov 2008
There are no real "international schools" here. The schools that are as near to an international school are geared towards Dominicans learning in English with a consideration for American culture. My experience with the schools is that the only "acceptable" school academically is the Carol Morgan School. If you have a child with special needs, though, be very careful in choosing this school. Also, be very aware that the school has had issues with social difficulties between Dominicans and Americans/foreigners that go there on "scholarship" (i.e. paid for by the embassy).Also, there is a great emphasis on the materialism as Dominican parents tend to use money as the answer to celebrating, creating projects, helping or spending time with their kids, etc. You will be nickle and dimed--or in this case, dollared and pesoed right and left. - Oct 2008
Very good schools, especially Carol Morgan. Problem is bringing in kids who are above 15. Very cliquey. - Aug 2008
Schools are fine, from an educational standpoint. As society is classist, Dominican children can be vicious and/or exclusionary with children of expats. - Jun 2008
Carol Morgen - my son had a great time there and had no problem going to University in the Netherlands. - Feb 2008
