Governor Kim Reynolds has signed legislation to launch a “Purple Star Initiative” in Iowa schools.
Representative Ryan Weldon of Ankeny said the program “strengthens the connections” between military families and the schools their children attend. “It’s significance rests in prioritizing the success and stability of Iowa’s military families,” Weldon said, “honoring their service through meaningful student and parent focused support within the school system.”
Iowa is among five states that considered the program this year and 43 other states already have Purple Star Initiatives in place.
“As military families are often called to change military duties, these moves can create academic and social challenges for military students,” Senator Kerry Gruenhagen of Walcott said. “Every day thousands of military students are facing a new school, a new teacher, and a new culture. The Purple Star Initiative helps to smooth these transitions and achieve the goal for these students to be prepared for college, work and life.”
The bill got unanimous support in the Iowa House and Senate. Representative Elinor Levin of Iowa City said lawmakers had”great conversations” with Iowa Department of Education officials, who will oversee the program.
“This is something that military families have been coming to us with,” Levin said, “as a positive step we could take to make sure that military families are supported in Iowa.”
According to the Military Child Education Coalition, the families of service members on active duty, in the National Guard or the Reserves move every two to three years. Purple Star Initiatives seek to address the stress of these frequent moves by doing things like streamlining enrollment transitions and ensuring staff are notified when a student’s parent is deployed. Reynolds signed the bill creating a Puprle Star Initiative in Iowa schools — along with a bill to expand the Iowa National Guard’s college scholarship program to include technical training that leads to certification of a skill, like welding.