TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Sunflower State’s Department of Education announced on Monday that a local school district in Geary County has been recertified as a Kansas Purple Star School District.
The Kansas Military Child Education Council (KMCEC) — which aims to support military-connected children across the state — along with the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) announced on March 23 that Geary County’s USD 475 was recertified as a state Purple Star School District for the next three years. This also comes after Governor Laura Kelly designated April as the Month of the Military Child in a proclamation in April 2025.
The designation will last for the next three school years, up until the 2028-2029 year. The district must recertify every three years to continue being recognized as a Purple Star School District.
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What is a Purple Star School District?
The designation recognizes the assistance the school district provides for those students, according to the KSDE. The Kansas State Board of Education voted unanimously to create a Purple Star School Recognition Program in Oct. 2022. This was aimed at helping military-connected students with educational challenges with being in a new school after their parent leaves for duty in a different location.
USD 475 was the first school district in the state to be named the recognition after its initiation, according to Matthew Hoover of USD 475.
A district and school have to complete an application to the KSDE that meet certain criteria in order to receive the designation every three years. Some of the criteria include having a dedicated webpage for military families, providing a point of contact to work with school administration and implementing transition programs for students dealing with educational challenges.
Other school districts in Kansas that have received the designation include:
- Emporia schools in USD 253
- Derby schools in USD 260
- Fort Leavenworth in USD 207
- Leavenworth in USD 453
- Mulvane schools in USD 263
- Piper schools in USD 203
- Rose Hill schools in USD 394
- Spring Hill schools in USD 230
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