For school districts to be designated the Purple Star Award, they must:
1. Maintain a webpage dedicated to providing resources for military families
2. Have a staff point of contact for military families and their children/students that:

• Works jointly with the state military family educational liaison of the Interstate Compact Council to serve military families;
  
• Serves as the primary liaison between military families and the school district;
  
• Completes professional development on special considerations for military students and families; and
  
• Identifies and informs teachers of military-connected students in their classrooms and the special considerations military families and students should receive under the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

To receive the designation, a school district must also engage with one of the following optional activities:

• Provide professional development for additional staff on special considerations for military students and families;
  
• The local school district board of directors passes a resolution publicizing the school’s support for military children and families; or
  
• Host a military recognition event that demonstrates a military-friendly culture.
  
  

Questions?

PennState ClearingHouse for Military Family Readiness training will meet the professional development requirement as established in SHB 1346. There are 40 modules, 10-15 minutes each, that can easily be completed over around 5–8 business days if you focus on 6–8 modules per day. The training can be accessed here.
For ease of access, once you open the link above:

• Scroll down the webpage until you see module 1, Readiness to Support Military-Connected Students;
  
• Click ‘view’ on the right of module 1 and, in the same tab, it will open to Learning Modules ‘Military-Connected Families’;
  
• Scroll down to ‘Open Module’ and click to open;
  
• A new webpage tab will open. Click ‘Start Training’ to begin.
  
• After you complete each training, save the training certificate at the end of each module. You will need these to show you have completed this training series;
  
• When each module is complete, return to the previous webpage tab, Learning Modules ‘Military-Connected Families’ and click the back arrow. This will bring you back to the PennState ClearingHouse 40 module series.
  
• Continue with the next training in the series following the directions above.

MCEC (Military Child Education Coalition) has Purple Star Schools virtual two-day trainings that are scheduled throughout the year. The website has more information. Request information on upcoming training dates to the email contact on their webpage.

• Military Reach, Research and Outreach
Military REACH is a program that makes research about military families accessible and practical for a variety of audiences, including military families, direct service helping professionals, and those who work on behalf of military families.

• IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), Military-Connected Children with Disabilities
  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures that children with disabilities, including military children, have access to free and appropriate public education. IDEA also provides protections for military families when transferring schools.
• National Military Family Association, EFMP + Special Needs
  The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory program that helps military families with special needs by providing community support, housing, medical, education, and personnel services. The main goal is to ensure that families with special needs are not assigned to locations without adequate medical or educational resources.
• Penn State, Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness
  The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State is a research center that helps professionals improve programs and services for military families.
• MIC3—Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission 
  This is the official website of the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission. The goal of the interstate compact is to remove barriers to educational success imposed on children of military families because of frequent moves and deployment of their parents. The compact seeks to make the transition easier for children of military families, so they are afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. Applicable to transfers among public schools, it addresses key education issues encountered by military families in the areas of enrollment, eligibility, placement, and graduation.
• MECE—Military Child Education Coalition
  MECE provides training and leadership to ensure quality, inclusive educational experiences for all military children.
  
• Military Student Mentoring
  Our online training program for mentors working with military students. Find information specific to using the Mentor Connections Model of school-based mentoring for military students.
• FTC Protecting Kids Online
  How to talk to your kids about being online, and how to help them make good decisions and stay safe.
• The Barry Robinson Center
  The nation’s first residential treatment center to serve only military connected youth. This program serves military youth, ages 11 through 17, and encompasses a wide range of mental health diagnoses, including depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and ADHD, as well as co-occurring substance use disorders.