Purple Star Designation
Purple Star Schools
The Purple Star Award recognizes schools that show a major commitment to students and families connected to our nation’s military. Military-connected students may move up to six to nine times during their parent or guardian’s military career, which can result in hardships related to frequent moves, a service member’s absence, or post-deployment reintegration. Schools with the Purple Star designation play a critical role in ensuring continuity, stability, and support for military-connected families when facing these challenges.
A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all required activities. Awardees will receive a Purple Star digital certificate and award letter, and the award is valid for three years. The Purple Star Advisory Board helps establish award requirements.
Ohio's Purple Star Schools
Full Purple Star School List
If a school desires to earn the Purple Star Designation they must meet the following criteria:
- Appoint a Military Family Liaison
- Complete required professional development
- Host a webpage with military family resources
- Identify military-connected students
- Engage and support military-connected students
- Communicate and engage with military families
- Host community events or create community partnerships.
Application Dates
Schools can apply for the designation during the fall application window. All applications will undergo an initial review. Schools needing to provide further evidence can remediate their application. Awards will be announced via email in April, the Month of the Military Child.
- Nov. 1 to Dec. 15: Application window
- Jan. 15 to March 1: Application remediation window
- April: Purple Star Awards announced
Purple Star Requirements
Schools must complete all requirements listed below when applying.
Schools can create a team of building staff, community groups, families, and students to meet Purple Star requirements.
Applicants can use the Sample Application and the Purple Star Rubric to assist in preparing their application.
The award designation is valid for three years, after which schools can opt to submit a renewal application. The renewal cycle is as follows:
- Implementation Year: Award requirements implemented and application submitted in the fall. Awarded Purple Star designation in the spring.
- Award Year 1: Purple Star designation status begins and work continues.
- Award Year 2: Purple Star designation status remains in place and work continues.
- Award Year 3: Renewal cycle begins. Purple Star designation remains in place and work continues. Renewal application submitted in the fall. Purple Star awards are announced in the spring.
General Requirements
- Military Family Liaison: The Military Family Liaison is the school’s primary point-of-contact for military families. The liaison needs to be a building-level staff member. District staff and/or community members can be listed as additional liaisons.
- Professional Development: The liaison completes professional development on special considerations for military students and families each award cycle.
- New liaisons must complete one of the courses below:
- The Military Children in Ohio’s Schools course available in Ohio Learn and accessible through an OH|ID account.
- Search the name of the course to register. Access to the course may take up to six hours after registration.
- Access the Ohio Learn Guide for further assistance.
- The introductory course on Purple Star schools from the Military Child Education Coalition (available through the MCEC Learning Hub).
- Returning Liaisons must provide evidence of continuing professional development. Some examples include:
- Optional Activity: Liaisons can provide professional development to building staff on special considerations for military students and families. Consider tailoring the learning to the unique military membership of the school and surrounding community.
- Website: The school maintains a dedicated page on its website that features resources for military families and lists the Military Family Liaison’s contact information. The webpage needs to be easily accessible either from a school or district homepage. If a district webpage is used, include contact information for liaisons at each building. Examples of resources can be found on the Students and Families Affiliated with the Military and Information for Schools about Military-Connected Students webpages.
Student Engagement
- Military Student Identification: Federal law requires schools to identify and report students who have a parent or legal guardian who is a member of the Armed Forces each year. When schools identify military families, they can promote visibility and help liaisons connect military families and students to resources. Visit the Identification of Military-Connected Students webpage for more information.
- Optional Activity: Identify students with parents or guardians who are veterans, have siblings in the military, or Gold Star families.
- Note: The identification of students from veteran families, students with sibling connections, and Gold Star students should be maintained locally and not reported in EMIS.
- Student Engagement and Support: The school directly engages and supports military-connected students. Examples include:
- Military kids clubs
- Inter-grade level buddy groups
- Lunch groups
- Scheduled check-ins with individual students
- Peer-to-Peer transition programs that train student ambassadors to provide tours and engage in welcome activities with all students and provide support when a service member deploys.
Family Engagement
- Family Communication: The school provides examples of two-way communication with military families. Two-way communications provide the opportunity for the school to share events and resources with military families while providing an avenue to address the school.
- Family Engagement Activity: The school conducts an activity that includes and engages military families. This can overlap with community engagement activities. Examples include:
- Month of the Military Family (November)
- Month of the Military Child (April)
- Month of the Military Caregiver (May)
- Family Nights
- Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
- Service projects
- Academic projects
- Sporting events
- Fundraising events
Community Engagement
- Community Engagement Activity: Schools host events that demonstrate supportive culture for the military community and/or build partnerships with community partners.
- Examples of community engagement activities include:
- Hosting military recognition events
- Patriots Day (Sept. 11)
- Day of the Deployed (Oct. 26)
- Month of the Military Family (November)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
- Month of the Military Child (April)
- Month of the Military Caregiver (May)
- Armed Forces Day (3rd Saturday in May)
- Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
- Hosting a Purple Up day
- Military-themed spirit weeks
- Military-themed sporting events
- Collaborating with local military units
- Collaborating with veteran organizations
- Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
- Military signing events
- Service projects
- Academic projects
- Recognizing military-connected school staff
- School board resolutions.
April is the Month of the Military Child, an opportunity to celebrate military-connected students. During this month, many schools put on celebration events that include military-themed spirit weeks, Purple Up day, and other special recognition events. The resources below contain toolkits and ideas:
Last Modified: 9/25/2026 12:25:26 PM