Military-Connected Students Newsletter

Texas Education Agency

April 2021

student pledge of allegiance

Elementary school student holding flag, with hand over heart, El Paso ISD

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 Military Connected Students Newsletter

April is the Month of the Military Child! TEA recognizes the many sacrifices our military-connected students and their families make for each of our freedoms. The Texas Education Agency extends a special thank you for your service and commitment.

We also recognize and thank our educators who play a special role in helping military-connected students and families by increasing their knowledge about resources, supports, and laws available to remove barriers and ensure successful school transitions. See more information below for how your campus can participate in Month of the Military Child. This newsletter is packed with valuable information and resources to assist you in serving military-connected students!

Month of the Military Child

Military children play an important role in the armed forces community, and this April is the time to applaud military families and their children for the daily sacrifices they make and the challenges they overcome. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission has a list of activities LEAs can host in observation of the Month of the Military Child. Participation in Month of the Military Child is one criteria campuses can meet to become a Purple Star Campus.

purple up icon

The DoDEA has designated April 14th as Purple Up! Day. Campuses can encourage their students, faculty, and staff to wear purple in support of their military-connected peers for their strength and sacrifices. While April 14th is the official date, LEAs can designate any day in April for their campuses to Purple Up!

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HM&AR Newsletters

English Learner Support Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Month of April 

Month of the Military Child

April 5th - June 1st

Purple Star Campus Application Period

April 14th

Purple Up! Day

Month of August

Purple Star Campus Awardees SY 21-22 Announcement

September 16th

Highly Mobile and At-Risk Webinar

Register Here

Texas Purple Star Campus

Purple Star Campus Applications Open

Does your school provide services for military-connected students that go above and beyond the call of duty? Apply to become a Purple Star Campus for the 2021-2022 school year! We are now accepting applications from Monday, April 5, 2021, through Tuesday, June 1, 2021. To apply, visit: TEA’s Purple Star Campus Designation.

Schools that are selected will receive a virtual Purple Star recognition to display on their campus or website. Notifications of award outcomes will be announced by the TEA in August 2021. All campuses receiving the designation will also be featured on the TxSchools.gov webpage. 

Please note: Designations last for two school years.

  • Campuses that received the designation for the 2020-2021 school year do not need to reapply until the spring of 2022. For the list of designees, please visit: Purple Star Campus Designation Awardees.
  • Campuses that receive the designation for the 2021-2022 school year do not need to reapply until the spring of 2023.

If you have any questions regarding the Purple Star Campus Designation, please contact Jordan Brown in the Division of Highly Mobile and At-Risk Student Programs, MilitaryConnectedStudents@tea.texas.gov.


Looking for training on military-connected student topics?

The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) offers courses, programs, and webinars to LEA staff and military-connected students and their families.

Reach out to your School Liaison Officer (SLO) to coordinate trainings for your LEA or campus. 


Identifying Military-Connected Students in PEIMS

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 requires all states to collect and report assessment data on military-connected students. For Texas schools, this includes students who are dependents of a current or former member of the US military, Texas National Guard, or the reserve force; and students who are dependents of a member of the US military or reserve force who was injured or fallen in the line of duty.

It is especially important for schools that are not close to military bases to identify their military-connected students. Texas has nearly 150,000 identified military-connected students who attend public and open-enrollment charter schools in every region of Texas. Schools that identify their military-connected students are better prepared to provide services to students, especially during unexpected transitions. TEA has a Military Student Identifier Resource to help your LEA collect identification data for PEIMS purposes.

TEA Military-Connected Students annotation flyer

The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission (MIC3)

The MIC3 is a compact between all 50 states and the District of Columbia; Texas adopted the compact in 2009. The compact aims to remove barriers to educational success that children of military families face due to frequent moves and deployment of parents. The agreement allows for students to receive uniform treatment when transferring between LEAs in member states. Read the MIC3 Guide for Parents, School Officials, and Public Administrators for an overview of the compact’s requirements, and learn more at MIC3.net.


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Program Spotlight

LEA spotlight meeting

The Bell County Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program (JJAEP) has partnered with Fort Hood’s Adopt-A-School Initiative which provides active-duty soldiers with an opportunity to volunteer and mentor at-risk students from surrounding school districts. The Bell County JJAEP has provided in-person classroom instruction for students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.  Soldiers built gingerbread houses with students to model and build positive relationships and increase their motivation for participating in their academic instruction. Programs like Fort Hood’s Adopt-A-School can lay a foundation for successfully engaging at-risk students.


Strong Start 2020-2021: Engaging Highly Mobile and At-Risk Students

Resource Highlight

Engaging Highly Mobile and At-Risk Students: This guide provides best practices, resources, and practical strategies to address student support, engagement, and academic achievement for all students, with a focus on highly mobile, at-risk, and special student populations.


Upcoming Newsletters

The Highly Mobile and At-Risk (HM&AR) division is increasing dissemination of program updates and information by releasing a newsletter for individual program areas bi-monthly. These program areas include Mental and Behavioral Health, Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth, and Foster Care and Student Success. Subscribe to all of the HM&AR newsletters to receive more updates on all of our student programs! 


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