The Virginia Purple Star Designation Program for Schools

Overview

The Virginia Purple Star Designation is awarded to military-friendly schools that have demonstrated 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. The Virginia Department of Education’s Military Student Support Process Action Team, (MSSPAT) will review all school applications for the award. Final approval on awards will be made by members of the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunity for Military Children.

Purple Star Honorees

The Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact for Military Children recognize Virginia Purple Star Schools for their excellence in supporting military-connected children and their families.

Chesapeake Public Schools, Falls Church Public Schools, Fredericksburg  City Public Schools, Gloucester County Public Schools, King George County Public Schools, Hampton City Public Schools, Isle of Wight County Public Schools, Portsmouth Public Schools, Poquoson Public Schools, Prince George County Public Schools, Spotsylvania County Public Schools, Stafford County Public School and York County Public Schools have the distinct honor of having all schools in their divisions designated as Purple Star Schools.

As of October 2025, there are 590 schools across the Commonwealth that hold an active Purple Star designation. 294 of these schools are maintaining their designations having received the award more than once. 

Minimum Qualifiers for First-Time Applicants

The school must have a staff point of contact (POC) for military students and families. The POC serves as the primary link between the military family and the school. This contact could be a counselor, administrator, teacher, or another staff member.

• The school-based POC must complete the Virginia Purple Star Educate the Educator Training Modules - Virginia Department of Education Professional Learning Catalog . Additionally, the POC must upload a copy of the module completion certificate in the school applicant packet when applying. School Based POC's who have completed the module previously may retake the course as a refresher or submit a completion certificate for the Module: Building Awareness of the Social Emotional Impacts of Military Family Transitions.
• The POC works with school administration and/or military program partners to conduct a school-wide professional development (PD) that informs staff of the contents listed below or require school staff to take the Virginia Purple Star Educate the Educator Training Modules - Virginia Department of Education Professional Learning Catalog (instructure.com):
  • The unique needs of military-connected students to include children on Veterans and on supports available to support these students.
  • An overview of Interstate Compact on the Educational Opportunities for Military Children,
  •  Evidence of this training would include copies of sign-in sheets and training materials presented, or a letter from the school administration stating that 70 percent of the school staff attended the PD. 
• The school keeps or links to a division-wide page dedicated to military student and family support. This web page must include the following information.
  1. Military Families: Planning your Arrival to (Insert School Division):
     Information on Enrollment and the registration process.
  2. Military Families: Preparing your Move from (Insert School Division):
     Information on educational records requests and transfers - School and/or linked division webpages for supporting military families will be reviewed to determine if the page contains clear and concise information on the division’s remote registration process for incoming military-connected students. Remote registration is permissible under Section B-3 of the Code of Virginia § 22.1-3. Persons to whom public schools shall be free. Also helpful is information on the school division's open enrollment policies for military families residing in privatized military housing as required under the Code of Virginia § 22.1-7.2 Enrollment for Students residing on military installation or in military housing.
  3. Academic Planning for Military Families:
     Information on Advanced Academic Programs and application deadlines (Specialty Centers), Graduation Requirements, Diploma Options, and Home Instruction.
  4. Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunities for Military Children:
     Information on the Compact Rules and their application.
  5. Special Needs Navigation and Parental Rights:
     This includes information on Special Education services and parental rights to include parental consent.
  6. Other matters of Importance:
     This may include, Impact Aid, Student-Parent Survey, PTA and PTSA, Extra Curricular Activities and local Community Supports etc.
• The school division has assigned a central office staff member to be the contact for the school-based liaison and military families; and
• The school maintains a student led peer-to-peer support program that is facilitate by a school staff member. This program should provide peer support for newly enrolled and withdrawing students to include those that are military connected. Evidence could include calendar of events, a narrative of activities conducted, flyers, photos, or student welcoming or training materials. 
  • Renewing Applicants Peer-to-Peer teams should consider providing evidence that supports how these peer-to-peer teams are addressing the following six concentrations:
    1. Arrival and Departure
    2. Empathy/Communication
    3. School-Wide Outreach Education/Inclusivity
    4. Marketing
    5. Leadership/Program Management
    6. Sustainability
  • Division Wide Activities - Purple Star Schools must provide evidence that the division completed at least one of the following:
    • Division-wide professional development of at least 70 percent of school division personnel regarding special considerations for military students and families. Evidence of this training should include the following documentation: Letter from division superintendent stating that 70 percent of all division staff took and/or attended the training or the training agenda, presentation materials, and names of all participants.
    • The school board passes a resolution publicizing the school division’s support for military students and families. Applicant must include a copy of the resolution.
    • The school division hosts a military recognition event designed to demonstrate a military-friendly culture across the school division community. In addition to the event summary please provide copies of marketing materials, news articles or photographs.
  • Submitted the application by the deadline.

Renewal Applicants

Those schools who are reapplying for Purple Star Designation will be measured on the same qualifiers as those applying for the first time and required to complete a Purple Star Designation Impact Survey.  For those familiar with the online application requirements for uploading documents please scroll to the bottom this page to submit your application and complete the impact survey.

Application

The application window will open on April 1, 2026, and will remain open until 11:59 PM on September 4, 2026. This cycle will be the first cycle where first-time applicants and those renewing their school's Purple Star designation will have separate applications.

All applicants are asked to review the Virginia Purple Star Designation Program for Schools Application Preparation carefully.

Before selecting the application link, applicants must prepare written narratives and or artifacts of evidence for file upload. Only one file per question when applicable is permitted. 

Please feel free to contact Dan Dunham, VDOE Military Student and Families Specialist, at Dan.Dunham@doe.virginia.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

School Year 2026-2027 Impact Survey and Applications

Please make sure to choose the correct application type from those below.

• SY 2026-2027 Virginia Purple Star Impact Survey (Required by all applicants)
• SY 2025-2026 First Time Purple Star Designation Application
• SY 2026-2027 Virginia Purple Star Designation Renewal Application
• SY 2026-2027 Purple Star Division Wide Application