D49 Earns Nine More Purple Star School Designations for Military Families
District 49 has received nine additional Purple Star School designations from the Colorado Department of Education, expanding its program to one of the largest military family support footprints in the state. The Purple Star designation recognizes schools that actively support military-connected students and families, and D49's expansion reflects the district's significant military family population near Fort Carson and Peterson Space Force Base.
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Advertise hereWhat the Purple Star Designation Means
The Purple Star School program is a Colorado initiative that recognizes schools taking meaningful steps to support students with military connections. To earn the designation, a school must meet requirements including a dedicated military family point of contact, staff training on military family issues, and transition support for students entering or leaving the district.
For a military family that moves frequently โ and moves to or from Colorado Springs are common given the concentration of installations in the area โ a Purple Star school represents a concrete commitment at the building level. When a family arrives mid-year after a permanent change of station, a Purple Star campus means there's someone on staff whose job includes helping that transition go smoothly. When a parent deploys, the school has been trained to recognize how that affects a student.
Why D49 Has a Large Military Family Population
D49's geographic footprint covers a large portion of eastern Colorado Springs and extends into the areas surrounding Fort Carson to the south and Peterson Space Force Base to the east. Many military families choose to live in communities that fall within D49 boundaries because of housing options, commute distance to the installations, and school quality. The result is a district with a higher-than-average share of military-connected students relative to statewide enrollment.
That population comes with specific needs. Military families move an average of every two to three years, which means students change schools frequently during critical developmental years. Deployments and extended separations affect household stability. And students who leave COS for a new duty station need their academic records and support histories in order to transition well at the next school.
What the Expansion Means in Practice
With nine new campuses joining D49's Purple Star program, more families will have access to the program's resources from their first day in the district. Parents of military-connected students can ask their school's front office whether their building holds the Purple Star designation and, if so, who the designated military family point of contact is.
For families not yet familiar with the program, it's worth knowing that participation is voluntary โ schools apply and must demonstrate they've met the criteria. A Purple Star designation is a signal that the building has made a specific commitment, not just a general statement of support.
What's Next
D49 families with military connections can verify whether their school holds the Purple Star designation through D49's website or by contacting the district office. The Colorado Department of Education maintains the official list of designated schools statewide. COS Parenting will continue to track local school programs that affect military families in Colorado Springs.
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