HB0056 • 2023

Purple star schools.

AN ACT relating to education; providing for the designation of purple star schools that take specific actions to assist military connected students; specifying requirements for purple star schools; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Representative Brown
Last action: 2023-02-23
Official status: enrolled
Effective date: 7/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text did not provide specific details about professional development activities for staff members.

Purple Star Schools Act

This law establishes a process for schools to be designated as Purple Star Schools if they provide specific support and services for military-connected students.

What This Bill Does

Creates a process for the Department of Education to designate schools as Purple Star Schools based on their actions to assist military-connected students.
Requires designated Purple Star Schools to have a staff member who acts as a military liaison, helping military-connected students and their families.
Requires these schools to maintain an accessible webpage with resources for military-connected students and their families, including information about relocation, enrollment, academic planning, counseling services, and the contact details of the military liaison.
Requires designated Purple Star Schools to offer professional development for staff on issues related to military-connected students.

Who It Names or Affects

Schools that apply to be designated as Purple Star Schools
Military-connected students and their families

Terms To Know

military connected student: A student who is a dependent of a current or former member of the U.S. uniformed services, including members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify how many schools will be designated as Purple Star Schools.
It's unclear what specific professional development activities must be offered by the schools for staff on issues related to military-connected students.

Bill History

2023-02-23 LSO
Assigned Chapter Number 75
2023-02-23 Governor
Governor Signed HEA No. 0050
2023-02-22 Senate
S President Signed HEA No. 0050
2023-02-21 House
H Speaker Signed HEA No. 0050
2023-02-21 LSO
Assigned Number HEA No. 0050
2023-02-21 Senate
S 3rd Reading:Passed 30-1-0-0-0
2023-02-17 Senate
S 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-02-16 Senate
S COW:Passed
2023-02-16 Senate
S Placed on General File
2023-02-16 Senate
S08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0
2023-02-13 Senate
S Introduced and Referred to S08 - Transportation
2023-01-30 Senate
S Received for Introduction
2023-01-27 House
H 3rd Reading:Passed 61-0-1-0-0
2023-01-26 House
H 2nd Reading:Passed
2023-01-25 House
H COW:Passed
2023-01-24 House
H Placed on General File
2023-01-24 House
H08 - Transportation:Recommend Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0
2023-01-16 House
H Introduced and Referred to H08 - Transportation
2023-01-06 House
H Received for Introduction
2022-12-20 LSO
Bill Number Assigned

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 23LSO-0299
Bill No.:

HB0056

Effective:

7/1/2023

LSO No.:

23LSO-0299

Enrolled Act No.:

HEA No. 0050

Chapter No.:

75

Prime Sponsor:

Brown

Catch Title:

Purple star schools.

Subject:

Purple star schools.

Summary/Major Elements:

This bill provides a process for the Department of Education to designate a school as a purple star school if the school takes specific actions to provide assistance to military connected students.

The requirements to be designated as a purple star school include having a staff member designated as a military liaison, maintaining a web page with resources for military connected students and their families, maintaining a transition program that assists military connected students in transitioning to the school and offering professional development for staff members on issues related to military connected students.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

23LSO-0299

ORIGINAL House

Bill No
.
HB0056

ENROLLED ACT NO. 50,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to education; providing for the designation of purple star schools that take specific actions to assist military connected students; specifying requirements for purple star schools; providing rulemaking authority; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 21
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3
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134 is created to read:

21
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3
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134.

Purple star schools.

(a)

As used in this section, "military connected student" means a student who is a dependent of a current or former member of the uniformed services of the United States including members of the national guard and reserve or who was a dependent of a member of the uniformed services of the United States, including a member of the national guard or reserve, who was killed in the line of duty.

(b)

The department shall designate a school as a purple star school if the school applies to the department and qualifies as a purple star school under this section.

(c)

To qualify as a purple star school under this section the school shall:

(i)

Have a staff member designated as a military liaison who shall:

(A)

Identify military connected students enrolled at the school;

(B)

Serve as the point of contact between the school and military connected students and their families or guardians;

(C)

Assist in developing and coordinating appropriate services and programs relevant to military connected students.

(ii)

Maintain on the school website an easily accessible web page that includes resources for military connected students and their families or guardians, including information regarding:

(A)

Relocation to, enrollment at, registration at and transferring records to and from the school;

(B)

Academic planning, course sequences and advanced classes available at the school;

(C)

Counseling and other support services available for military connected students enrolled at the campus; and

(D)

The name and contact information of the military liaison designated by the school under paragraph (i) of this subsection and the liaison's duties.

(iii)

Maintain a transition program, which may be led by students if appropriate, that assists military connected students in transitioning into the school;

(iv)

Offer professional development for staff members on issues related to military connected students;

(v)

Do at least one (1) of the following:

(A)

Have a resolution adopted by the board of trustees of the school district of the school showing support for military connected students and their families;

(B)

Provide recognition of the month of the military child or military family month with relevant events hosted by the school;

(C)

Partner with a local military installation that provides opportunities for active duty military members to volunteer at the school, speak at a school assembly or host a field trip.

(d)

A school may partner with the school district as necessary to comply with the requirements of this section including providing for a web page on the school district website if the school does not have a website, providing for professional development and the adoption of a resolution as provided in subparagraph (c)(v)(A) of this section.

(e)

The department shall adopt rules necessary to administer this section.

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the House.

Chief Clerk

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