Purple Star School Program
What is a Purple Star School?
A Purple Star School is a public or charter school that has committed to supporting the unique educational and social-emotional needs of military-connected children.
These schools recognize that military-connected students must move whenever their active-duty parent received a relocation order (called a Permanent Change of Station) and will uproot and change schools far more ofter than their civilian peers.
How they help
Purple Star Schools help military-connected students transition successfully with measures that include:
- Training a staff member or members to ease entry into the new academic environment
-Student-led programs to help create social connections
-A military family webpage on the school website to inform parents
-Relevant professional development opportunities for additional school staff
-State programs may require schools to meet additional criteria such as holding school-wide military recognition events that encourage tolerance and inclusion
A primary goal of these programs is to ensure that staff can manage the challenges military-connected children face when they move between schools with different cultures, curricula, standards, course offerings, schedules, and graduation requirements.
Purple Star Schools are especially attentive to students who arrive mid-year, missing out on the normal cycles of sports and club activities.
Finally, Purple Star Schools acknowledge that every military-connected child has left behind friends and support networks and may be dealing with a parent who is away from home on deployment.