Tennessee council moves to expand Purple Star Schools, approves 46 recognitions

The Tennessee Military Interstate Children's Compact State Council on Monday approved 46 Purple Star School recognitions and heard updates on plans to expand the Purple Star Schools initiative statewide while exploring a shift of program administration to the Tennessee Department of Education.

Council director Nick Atwood said the Tri Stars and Stripes Council and Department of Education staff have discussed elevating the Purple Star program to “a department level capacity” with a dedicated staff member to help scale the program in Tennessee's largest metropolitan areas. "We're elevating Purple Star School to a department level capacity," Atwood said.

The move would shift day-to-day responsibility for verifying applications, ordering banners and certificates, and supporting outreach from volunteer-led council staff to a Department of Education staffer; Atwood said the governor's office is also considering an investment of resources to support the effort. He said the governor has submitted a base budget but a specific dollar figure for the transfer had not been finalized.

Deb, who leads the Purple Star application work for the council, presented this year's class and asked for a motion to approve all 46 recognized schools. "Is there a motion to approve all of all 46?" she asked; Ted Horrell moved and Bob Griffin seconded. No objections were voiced and the council approved the recognitions; the council scheduled emails and press releases to be sent to districts, superintendents and points of contact that evening.

Council members discussed logistics and funding history. Nathan James noted the State Board of Education has handled ordering and distribution of banners and related logistics in prior years without a separate appropriation. "There was never any funding that came with it," Nathan said, adding the state board had absorbed costs from internal budgets and staff time.

The meeting also included partner updates from Tennessee PTA and Blue Star Families, multiple school liaison reports highlighting local outreach and counselor training, and a reminder about no-cost national training courses required for Purple Star applicants. Deanna said a national dues increase tied to statute passed (a 4% increase based on active-duty child counts); she said she registered a no vote and recorded concerns about fiscal impact.

The council asked members to share sample proclamation language for Purple Up month outreach and confirmed Purple Up Day will be observed on April 15. Deanna said the State Board of Education hosts a landing page with toolkits and resources and that a draft proclamation would be circulated by Monday. The meeting adjourned after closing remarks and staff thanks.

The council did not record a roll-call tally for the two voice votes taken; a formal budget appropriation or transfer to the Department of Education had not been finalized by the end of the meeting.