Military-Connected Youth May Bulletin
Dear Military Family Liaisons,
The Department is thrilled to share Ohio’s Attendance Dashboard! The dashboard is a public tool designed to provide fast, transparent, and easy-to-use attendance data to help schools, families, and communities reduce chronic absenteeism and keep more students in the classroom.
To support school communities after they review the dashboard, the Department developed action steps for schools and districts to use as a guide for their work. Locally, schools can examine attendance data for military-connected students to identify root causes and provide real-time support.
Purple Star Class of 2026
The Department is proud to announce that 304 schools have been recognized as members of the Purple Star Class of 2026. Of these, 153 schools received the award for the first time, while 151 schools renewed their award. Ohio is now home to 839 active Purple Star schools.
Staffing Changes for the 2026-2027 School Year
If there are any staffing changes to your Military Family Liaison, principal, or superintendent over the summer, please notify us at PurpleStar@education.ohio.gov. This allows us to keep our records up-to-date and provide timely communication to your school.
Ohio Purple Star Summit
Registration is open for the Ohio Purple Star Summit on June 29. This event brings together educators and supporters of military-connected students to provide professional development about ways schools can identify, celebrate, and support Ohio’s military families.
Purple Star USA National Convening
Do you have an exciting program or event that supports military-connected students as part of your Purple Star program? Purple Star USA National Convening of Schools and Communities is seeking proposal submissions for the fourth annual national convening by June 30.
Ohio Military Kids Summer Camps
Ohio Military Kids Summer Camps provide positive development experiences for youth whose parents are deployed in military service, as well as opportunities for military-connected youth to connect, learn, and have fun in an outdoor setting. Visit the Ohio Military Kids website for details and registration information, and contact omk@osu.edu with any questions.
Children of Valor
Children of Valor’s annual grant application window is June 1-June 30. Military families in the Special Operations Forces community can apply. Grants support in-person tutoring, testing, and special education advocacy for children with diagnosed learning disabilities.
Janet Wynn Memorial Award
Applications for the Janet Wynn Memorial Award are due May 15. The award is presented annually to an Ohio military family or school-aged youth that has displayed exceptional perseverance throughout a transition between schools or had a close family member who experienced a deployment overseas or stateside. The award is presented by the Ohio MIC3 Council.
Family Resources
Wright-Patterson AFB School Liaison Office
The School Liaison Office is the central point of contact for commanders, military families, and local school systems on school-related matters for grades K-12. School Liaison services are open to all military families in Ohio.
United Service Organization
The United Service Organization (USO) has three locations in Ohio and hosts events for military families across the state.
Blue Star Families of Dayton and Southwestern Ohio
Blue Star Families has a chapter that serves Dayton and Southwest Ohio. The Ohio chapter hosts events and is committed to strengthening military and veteran families.
Ohio Military Veteran Educators Program
The Ohio Military Veteran Educators Program (OhioMVEP) assists service members, military veterans, and their spouses with starting a career in an Ohio school. Contact OhioMVEP@education.ohio.gov with any questions.
Additional Resources for Liaisons
Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children is a set of state laws in all 50 states that lowers barriers to education and eases the transition of military-connected students. MIC3Training.net offers access to on-demand training on the compact. Live Compact 101 webinar trainings are available every month online and are free.
Ohio Council of the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission (MIC3)
The Ohio MIC3 Council assists with the implementation of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children in Ohio.
Important Dates
If you or someone you know would like to be featured in this newsletter, submit this form. If you have any questions, contact Jason Scragg at PurpleStar@education.ohio.gov.
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