COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina is continuing the national effort to ensure military-connected children are given the academic and social-emotional support needed when relocating to schools in the Palmetto State.
On Tuesday, March 25th South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster along with South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs (SCDVA) Secretary Todd B. McCaffrey, South Carolina Department of Education, and leaders from school districts around the state, and the Military Child Education Coalition will gather to proclaim April as the Month of the Military Child in South Carolina. A news conference and proclamation reading will take place at 2 p.m. in the State House lobby.
Currently there are 15 Purple Star School Districts and six Purple Star Schools in the state. A full list is included with this news release on an attached flyer and on the South Carolina Department of Veterans’ Affairs website. Month of the Military Child honors and celebrates military children for their service, commitment, and sacrifice, underscoring the important role that they play in their communities across the Palmetto State.
The non-profit Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) is the national advocate for Purple Star Schools, a grassroots initiative that encourages states and school districts to establish Purple Star School programs. These programs award Purple Star School designation to K-12 schools within the state or district that have committed to supporting military-connected children through specific measures.
A military-connected child can expect to move six to nine times from kindergarten through their high school graduation, with approximately 200,000 students transitioning to a new school in any given year, according to MCEC. The primary goal of Purple Star School programs is to ensure staff can help manage the academic requirements and planning challenges military-connected children face when they move between different schools.
To learn more about the Military Child Education Coalition and Purple Star Schools visit militarychild.org/purplestarschools.