A bill for an act requiring the director of the department of education to develop and administer a purple star school initiative.

2025-2026 Regular Session

Iowa will create a Purple Star School initiative to recognize and boost support for military-connected students and families in applying schools.

Signed by Governor.

#education #educationdepartment #families #military #militaryservicemembers #schools #students

Purpose

SF 275 requires the Director of the Iowa Department of Education to develop and administer a "Purple Star School" initiative. The stated goal is to recognize schools that demonstrate a commitment to supporting military‑connected students and their families and to increase the level of support available to those students and families in Iowa schools.

Key provisions

Adds a new subsection (69) to Iowa Code section 256.9 (Code 2025) directing the Department of Education to:

Develop and administer a Purple Star School initiative.
Recognize applicant schools in the state that have demonstrated commitment to supporting military‑connected students and families.
Aim to increase the amount of support schools make available to military‑connected students and their families.

Recognition is by application (schools must apply).

The bill establishes the requirement for the department to create and run the initiative but does not specify program criteria, award types, application deadlines, funding, or exact administrative procedures. Those program details are to be developed by the Department of Education.

Who is affected

Military‑connected students and their families: intended beneficiaries through increased school supports.

Iowa public (and potentially nonpublic or charter, depending on department rules) schools that choose to apply for recognition.

Iowa Department of Education: charged with creating, administering, and operating the initiative.

School administrators and staff who may implement supporting practices to meet initiative criteria.

Procedural and timeline notes

Unanimous passage: Senate passed 41–0 (Feb 25, 2025); House passed 96–0 (Apr 8, 2025).

Substituted for HF 771 (Apr 8, 2025). Reported enrolled and transmitted to Governor (May 2, 2025). Signed by Governor Kim Reynolds (May 2, 2025).

The bill text does not specify an effective date for the new Code provision nor include an appropriation or directive for specific rulemaking timelines; stakeholders should watch Department of Education guidance for implementation details (criteria, application process, timeline, and any funding).

Potential impact and considerations

Creates a statewide recognition program intended to incentivize and formalize support for military‑connected students.

Likely low to moderate administrative impact on the Department (development and administration) and on schools that choose to participate.

Because no funding or program specifics are included in the statute, the scope and immediacy of impacts will depend on how the Department designs and staffs the initiative and whether state resources are later allocated.

For next steps, schools and military family advocates should monitor Iowa Department of Education announcements for the program criteria, application procedures, and any implementation timeline.

Bill