Summary — HB 4367 (Purple Star School Program)
Status and timeline
- Filed: March 11, 2025 (introduced in the House April 22, 2025).
- Passed House: June 25, 2025 (given immediate effect).
- Transmitted to the Senate and referred to the Committee on Education (current status).
- MDE implementation deadline: the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) must create the program by January 1, 2026.
- Companion bill: SB 1916. This bill reintroduces HB 4027 (2023–24 session).
Purpose and intent
- Establish a Michigan Purple Star Program to recognize public schools that meet specified supports and practices for military-connected pupils and their families. The program creates an application and designation process administered by MDE.
Key provisions / requirements
- MDE duties
- Create the Purple Star Program by Jan 1, 2026.
- Maintain an application process and a process to designate qualifying public schools as Purple Star Program schools.
School eligibility (public school must meet all listed items)
- Military liaison
- Designate a staff member as a military liaison responsible for: identifying military-connected pupils; serving as point of contact for pupils/families; determining and coordinating appropriate services; and ensuring access to counseling, mentoring, volunteer opportunities, and support services.
- Web resources
- Maintain an easily accessible page on the school website (homepage) with resources for military-connected pupils/families, including: relocation/enrollment/record transfer information; academic planning/course sequences/advanced class information; counseling and support services; and information about the military liaison and duties.
- Transition program
- Maintain a transition program to assist military-connected pupils in joining the school; pupil-led where appropriate.
- Professional development
- Offer staff professional development on issues related to military-connected pupils (may be provided by a Michigan professional educator association).
- At least one initiative from this list:
- A resolution showing school support for military-connected pupils/families;
- Monthly recognition of a military-connected pupil or family (with related events);
- Partnership with a branch of the Armed Forces for volunteers/speakers/field trips;
- Pupil-driven clubs/groups promoting community–family engagement for military-connected pupils.
Definitions
- “Military-connected pupil”: a pupil in a school district, intermediate school district (ISD), or public school academy (PSA) who is a family member of a current or former member of the U.S. Armed Forces, or was a family member of someone killed in the line of duty.
- “Armed forces”: U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, or other federally designated components (including reserve components and National Guard).
Who is affected
- Directly affects public schools in Michigan (school districts, ISDs, public school academies/charter schools) that choose to apply for Purple Star designation and military-connected pupils and their families.
- No direct fiscal impact on local school districts, ISDs, or PSAs anticipated from the bill’s requirements.
Fiscal impact
- The state (MDE) would incur costs to create and administer the program. MDE previously estimated a need for 0.5 FTE and $100,000–$200,000 annually to manage and operate the program.
Background and notes
- The bill is substantially similar to an earlier substitute (H-2) that passed the House in December 2024. A representative of the U.S. Department of Defense submitted a position in support during committee consideration.
