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. Schools that earn the award will receive a special Purple Star recognition to display on site.
A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all the required activities, plus one optional activity, listed below. The Purple Star Advisory Board helps decide a school’s eligibility for the award.
Purple Star Application now open
Ohio's Purple Star Schools
How to Qualify
A school will be honored with the Purple Star Award if it completes all the
required activities, plus one additional activity, listed below.
Required Activities
- The school must have a staff point-of-contact for military students and families who serves as the primary liaison between them and the school.
- The liaison completes professional development on special considerations for military students and families under federal law. Visit the Military Family Liaison web page for roles and responsibilities. The liaison can complete any professional development they choose to fulfill this requirement. A variety of online learning options are available.
- New liaisons need to complete one of the following options:
- The Military Children in Ohio’s Schools course available on the Department's learning management system (access by logging into your OH|ID account). Under "My Apps," select "Learning Management System (LMS)" and click "Open App." Then search for the course in the course catalog.
- The Military Child Education Coalition offers virtual learning opportunities for education professionals.
- Liaisons renewing their Purple Star designation need to provide evidence of continuing professional development. This can come from any source. Some examples include:
- The liaison identifies and informs teachers of the military-connected students in their classrooms and the special considerations military families and students should receive. Visit Identification of Military-Connected Students for more information on the required and best practices related to this activity.
- The school maintains a dedicated page on its website featuring resources for military families and lists contact information of the liaison.
Additional Activities
In addition to the requirements listed above, each school needs to complete at least one additional activity from this list to be honored with the Purple Star Award.
For more information about activities, visit the Military Family Liaison web page.
Application
Once all requirements are met, schools can apply for the Purple Star designation. The award designation is renewed every three years. The application cycle is as follows:
- Application window opens Nov. 1;
- Application window closes Dec. 15;
- Awardees are announced each April, the Month of the Military Child.
Applicants will be contacted after the application window closes if there is an issue with their application that requires remediation.
New Applicants
Interested schools can prepare to apply for the award when the next application window opens and begin activities supporting students in military families immediately. The new school application will be posted to this web page when the application window opens.
On the application, schools are asked to share the following:
- The web address of the school's military families resource page;
- Professional development activities completed by the school military family liaison;
- Activities completed by your school that demonstrate the school's ongoing commitment to supporting military-connected youth and their families;
- The school's process to identify and inform staff of military-connected students;
- The number of military-connected students currently enrolled;
- How staff connects with military-connected students; and
- The school's plans and strategies to support military-connected students.
Renewal Applicants
Schools need to renew their Purple Star designation every three years. Renewal applications will be emailed to the school's liaison on Nov. 1 of their renewal year. Email PurpleStar@education.ohio.gov to update your liaison's contact information. Schools renewing their award will provide the same information on their application as listed above except:
This requirement will be phased in starting with the Class of 2026 (schools that renew in the 2025-2026 school year).
- The school's plans and strategies for continuing to support military-connected students.
If you have any questions, please email PurpleStar@education.ohio.gov and include your school name in the subject line.
Last Modified: 11/1/2024 8:57:56 AM