Military Families

The California Purple Star School Designation Program (Purple Star Program) seeks to reduce the burden on military-connected students and their families by articulating the most critical transition supports for military-connected students and their families by publicly designating schools that meet certain requirements. The program signals which schools are the most committed and best equipped to meet their unique needs.

The Purple Star Program was designed to help mitigate the challenges of high mobility by setting standards for and publicly designating military-friendly schools. The Purple Star Program’s true value derives from its potential to:

• Centralize and make knowledge accessible
• Develop stakeholder networks
• Support schools in cultivating and communicating cultural competency in supporting military-connected families

Many of the practices for military-connected students exemplified by Purple Star Schools are beneficial to all students, helping them feel more connected and perform better academically.

Each year, the CDE requests applications in September for Purple Star Award candidates. More information is available on the CDE website. 
 

To qualify for a Purple Star School designation in California, an individual school site must be in active status, as identified on the California Department of Education’s (CDE’s) California School Directory web page. The school site will also need to demonstrate that they have: 

• Designated Point-of-Contact: A staff member to act as a liaison between military families and the school, easing military-connected students’ enrollment and acclimation period.
• Professional Development: Trained staff on the unique considerations for and needs of military-connected students. 
• Dedicated Web Page: A dedicated web page on the school’s website with easily accessible information and resources for military-connected families.
• Transition Programs: A transition program to welcome and socially acclimate incoming military-connected students, which can be student-led.
• Military Recognition: Programming and events to include, celebrate and honor service members and military-connected students and families, including community members. (Optional)

Application Timeline for 2024

Sept. 18, 2024: Request for Applications Release Date
Oct. 3 and Oct. 10: Informational webinars hosted by SDCOE 
Nov. 1, 2024: Applications must be received at the CDE, by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) 
November–December 2024: Review of Applications 
January 2025: Purple Star School Designations Announced  

Application Due Date 

The Purple Star Program application and supporting documents must be received by the CDE on or before November 1, 2024, per the Application Submission Procedures (see below). 

Application Submission Procedures 

Applicants shall submit the application via an online survey. To complete the online application survey, visit https://surveys3.cde.ca.gov/go/purplestar2025.asp (Full application for reference - PDF)

The online application will require applicants to upload a letter of support from the school site’s principal and the district’ superintendent (or designee). Please limit each letter of support to one page (single-sided) on official letterhead.

Note: If a district has multiple school sites that are applying for the Purple Star school designation, the superintendent can sign a single letter of support that lists all the applying school sites. Each school site will then be required to upload the superintendent’s letter of support to their individual application.

If a school site has already been designated as a Purple Star School, the school site does not have to apply again for three years. For example, schools designated in 2022 (applied in 2021) will need to apply again this school year; schools designated in 2023 will need to apply again next year (2025–26).

Incomplete and Late Applications

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. 

Application Review 

Each application will be reviewed by the CDE. Applicants that can provide the information requested, with fidelity, a Purple Star School designation will be awarded. The application review process will occur during the months of November and December 2024.

The following represent the items contained in the 2024–25 Purple Star Application Survey. Applicants will also be asked to provide school and contact information and upload a file (support letters) within the application survey.

1. The school site must designate a Purple Star School Point-of-Contact to serve as a military liaison. Please identify the Point-of-Contact, including contact information, and describe the duties assigned to the Point-of-Contact. The Point-of-Contact needs to be employed by the local educational agency.
2. Each Point-of-Contact is required to participate in military family professional development activities. Please describe the professional development activity/activities, be specific and include dates, the provider and a brief summary of the impact of the professional development activity. Include any future professional development activities.
3. The Point-of-Contact needs to provide and/or coordinate professional development and supports to school staff, describe the professional development activities that have occurred in the past and include a description of planned professional development activities.
4. The school site needs to demonstrate that they have a transitional program for military-connected students. Please describe the transitional program, who facilitates the program (staff and/or students), how students are identified and encouraged to participate in the program, and describe how the following topics are addressed:
   • Welcoming and acclimating a new military-connected student
   • Educational support for military-connected students, including special populations.
   • Social-emotional support for military-connected students.
5. The school district and/or school site needs to provide a specific web page that serves as a resource for military-connected families and include the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the web page. The web page needs to contain the following:
   • The contact information of the Point-of-Contact for the school site. If the web page encompasses the whole district, there should be a list of the contact information for each Purple Star School site to ensure ease and clarity for potential military-connected families.
   • Specific items useful for military families, such as military liaison contact information, information on relocation, enrollment and registration, academic planning, counseling, and other related support services and useful information.
6. The school needs to provide evidence or a plan on how they will obtain recognition and/or endorsement from the local school board showing support for military-connected students and families.
7. OPTIONAL PROMPTS: Provide information on military-connected family initiative(s) that the school site has promoted and/or plans to promote. Initiatives can include, but are not limited to:
   • Participation in Military Child Month (April) and/or Military Family Month (November) to celebrate, recognize, and support military-connected students and families for their strength and sacrifice.
   • Encourage and provide opportunities for active-duty service members and individuals serving in the National Guard and Reserves to volunteer at local school sites.
8. Provide any other supporting information to demonstrate why the school site should be recognized as a Purple Star School.