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The Role of School Counselors in Supporting Military-Connected Students

Published on February 3, 2026
Male counselor sitting with young school boy fist bumping after a successful meeting.

Military-connected students possess unique strengths such as resilience, adaptability, and global awareness, but they may also face unique stressors that can affect their academic performance, behavior, and emotional well-being. Military-connected students do not attend only military schools, as Service member parents may commute to work from nearby communities, or students may stay with extended family in different locations while their parents are deployed. School counselors often serve as a bridge between teachers and families. They can serve as consultants and help guide teachers as they select practices that effectively address the unique needs of military-connected students and all students. In addition, counselors can use their roles to support military-connected students, buffer them from stressors, and foster stability and connection.

Understanding the Military-Connected Student Experience

School counselors should briefly study and learn about the military way of life and the transitions that military families often experience. Furthermore, counselors may find that understanding the meanings of common military terms is helpful. Military-connected students experience frequent moves, parental deployments, reintegration after a parent returns home, and shifting family roles, and these events can influence students’ sense of safety, focus, and emotional regulation. When counselors understand these unique stressors, they can be better prepared to recognize when a student’s behavior or mood may be affected by a recent transition or event and not label a decline in skill acquisition or academic interest as skill regression, defiance, or disengagement. Learning about potential support systems can also help counselors communicate more effectively with families and connect them to appropriate resources, such as School Liaisons, who are available on base but can offer assistance to students living anywhere. When counselors build their military-connected knowledge, they are better equipped to understand the experiences of military-connected students, identify appropriate supports to help them, and deliver effective interventions during high-stress periods.

Partnering with Teachers to Strengthen Classroom Supports

School counselors can also help support military-connected students by strengthening Tier 1 services. Military-connected students are more likely to experience frequent geographic transitions, which may require them to adapt to multiple school environments and may limit their ability to build long, supportive, responsive relationships with school adults. Adapting to new systems can be stressful for students, and when students move frequently and do not have a long informal educational record, these individuals, who could benefit from additional supports, may not reside in one location long enough to be recognized as needing specific assistance. School counselors can help address these issues by strengthening supports for all students and by adopting the approach that military-connected students may benefit from less “wait-and-see” time. For example, teachers and support staff sometimes prefer to wait and see how students respond to Tier 1 interventions or other supports to collect data or reduce the number of students elevated to Tier 2. Depending on their mobility, military-connected students may have already endured wait time and would likely benefit from interventions being initiated quickly.

Counselors frequently serve as consultants to teachers on topics such as emotional and behavioral interventions and classroom-management strategies. Military-connected students often benefit from the same strong Tier 1 supports that help all students thrive: predictable routines, clear expectations, and positive relationships. Moreover, counselors can guide teachers in their use of strategies that foster positive classroom environments, such as greeting students at the door, providing structured opportunities for peer connection, and using specific praise. Counselors can also help teachers evaluate function-based strategies and implement simple interventions that can be used to address behavioral and emotional concerns. By helping teachers feel supported and confident in their ability to provide excellent instruction, counselors can improve the environment and opportunities for all students, including military-connected students.

You, an educational professional, may be interested in learning more about the military way of life or sharing some trainings with colleagues who want to understand the military culture or learn about other strategies. If you’re interested in helping teachers develop classroom management and other supportive practices for all students, the School Resources website is a great place to start. Each training focuses on one micro-skill, takes only 15 minutes to complete, and provides a certificate of completion.

 

 

Helping Students Set New Year’s Resolutions That Actually Work

Published on January 12, 2026
Young boy African American ethnicity is sitting at school desk and writing in his notebook. He was solving math problem and he called a teacher to help him. His teacher is standing by him and showing him how to solve problem. Young boy wears red T-shirt and has curly hair.

The middle of the school year often marks a shift in energy. Routines are established, winter break has passed, and both students and educators may feel a sense of fatigue. Rather than pushing through this period, mid-year offers an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reset. Helping students revisit or set goals can re-energize classrooms while promoting ownership of learning and behavior. Teaching students how to set thoughtful goals and monitor their progress can also be a good way to promote ownership of students’ learning and behavior.

Helping Students Set Clear, Achievable Goals

Effective goal-setting goes beyond simply naming an outcome. Students need goals that are specific, meaningful, and paired with clear success criteria so they know exactly what success looks like. Goals should reflect something students genuinely want to change or improve, rather than being assigned solely by teachers or school support staff.

As students work toward their goals, educators can model flexibility by adjusting objectives or allowing students to revise criteria based on feedback and progress. This reinforces that goal-setting is an ongoing process, not a one-time task.

After goals are set, teachers, counselors, and school psychologists can check in with students to help monitor progress. Feedback plays a critical role in helping students manage their goals. High-quality feedback is timely, tied to a specific objective, and focused on what students should do next. It should be instructive rather than evaluative and never personal. Importantly, feedback is not a substitute for instruction; it works best when paired with explicit teaching and opportunities for practice.

Using Self-Monitoring to Build Student Ownership

For older students or those ready for greater independence, self-monitoring can also be a powerful tool. Self-monitoring strategies can work well alongside goal-setting, especially at mid-year when students may need renewed structure and motivation.

At its core, self-monitoring is not a single intervention but a system. Students learn to observe their own behaviors, record them at regular intervals, and reflect on patterns over time. Although self-monitoring is largely student-directed, it requires thoughtful educator support to design, implement, and evaluate effectively. Educators can support self-monitoring by defining a target behavior, setting realistic goals, determining how progress will be tracked, and identifying appropriate reinforcers.

Putting the Pieces Together

Successful goals and resolutions often follow a clear sequence: collaboratively developing a plan, checking in regularly, teaching students how to reflect on their progress, and providing reinforcement or gradually shifting toward self-administered reinforcement. Throughout this process, educators play a key role in coaching, modeling, and troubleshooting. When students understand their goals, know how to track their progress, and feel supported rather than judged, they are more likely to remain engaged and motivated.

Resetting with Intention

A mid-year reset doesn’t require a complete overhaul of classroom systems. Instead, it involves helping students pause, reflect, and re-engage with purpose. By using clear, flexible goal-setting strategies and structured self-monitoring approaches, educators can support students in building skills and confidence. As the year continues, these tools can help students move forward with greater ownership of their own learning and a clearer sense of their ability to grow and improve.

To learn more about the strategies discussed in this post, explore our learning modules about setting objectives, providing feedback, and using self-monitoring interventions.

What Street-Level Bureaucracy Can Teach Us About the Purple Star Schools Program

Published on December 13, 2025
School students standing in front of an American flag.

Schools play an essential role in the lives of military-connected students who face frequent moves, disrupted friendships, and shifting school expectations. Many states now use the Purple Star Schools Program (PSSP) to recognize schools that put strong supports in place. But implementation of the PSSP varies widely, and educators often ask: How can we make PSSP meaningful in our building, not just another compliance task?

One useful lens comes from Michael Lipsky’s book The Street-Level Bureaucracy: The Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Service (1980). Lipsky studied how frontline workers translate policies into real-world practice. His insights help explain why PSSP sometimes thrives and sometimes feels symbolic. His insights can be applied to PSSP to identify practical steps schools can take to strengthen their support for military-connected students.

Why Lipsky’s Ideas Matter for Schools

Lipsky argued that people who work directly with the public shape how policy is actually experienced. Teachers, counselors, registrars, and administrators make hundreds of decisions a day while experiencing large workloads, limited time, and unclear expectations. According to Lipsky, this environment can, naturally, lead to discretion, shortcuts, coping strategies, and uneven implementation.

If you work in a school, this situation probably sounds familiar.

Two recent Clearinghouse reports (2024 report, 2025 report) on the PSSP found similar patterns. Many schools show exceptional effort to welcome military families. Others end up meeting only the minimum requirements. When school professionals can view these patterns not as failures but as predictable conditions, they are better able to make smarter, more sustainable choices.

  1. Coping Happens: Use It to Strengthen, Not Weaken, Support

Lipsky observed that when demands exceed capacity, frontline workers develop coping routines to stay afloat.

This situation is evident in PSSP implementation as many schools meet the requirement for a webpage or point of contact (POC) but struggle to sustain peer-to-peer programs or ongoing check-ins.

What you can do:

  • Build routines that support real connection.
    Examples of this can include using automatic welcome emails to new families, scheduling check-ins at 2 and 6 weeks, or creating a standing time on Fridays to update your military-resources page.
  • Avoid one-time gestures.
    Schools often create a basic webpage or hang a Purple Star banner to “check the box.” Use these as starting points to create a connection—not final steps.
  • Share responsibilities.
    No single person can handle all of the PSSP responsibilities. Identify a small team (administrator, counselor, teacher, and office staff member), and divide tasks.
  1. Your Decisions Shape the Program

Lipsky described frontline workers as policy makers because their day-to-day decisions determine what policy looks like.

This concept surfaces clearly with PSSP. Many states require each school to have a POC who is expected to answer questions related to supporting military-connected students; however, many states do not define this role, so schools must fill in the gaps. How you interpret and fulfill this requirement can determine whether families feel supported.

What you can do:

  • Clarify the role locally.
    Even if your state’s language regarding this requirement is vague, clearly define expectations at your school, and examples of these include the following:

    • Respond to new family inquiries within 48 hours
    • Oversee transition activities
    • Coordinate with the district POC for military families or the installation school liaison
    • Update the military family webpage each quarter
  • Invite student voice early.
    Without mechanisms for requesting and collecting student feedback, schools will lack insight regarding whether peer programs meet real needs. Ask military-connected students what tasks or activities helped them adapt effectively during a transition, and what tasks or activities did not help them. This avoids guessing and prevents inequities from continuing.
  • Treat the Purple Star designation as a school culture effort.
    Use this designation to start conversations about belonging and transitions, not just compliance.
  1. Rationing Is Real: Watch for Unintentional Inequity

Lipsky also highlighted rationing, which happens when schools must decide how to use limited time, resources, and attention. In these situations, educators often focus on families who are easiest to reach or most proactive.

This happens in PSSP, too.

For example, staff may prioritize families who email proactively or attend orientation events, while families who are dealing with deployment stress or housing instability may receive less support simply because they are harder to reach. This type of normative rationing is unintentional, but it is real.

What you can do:

  • Create outreach routines that do not rely on family initiative.
    For example:

    • Produce a welcome script for front-office staff to use
    • Use automatic referrals to the school POC based on enrollment data
    • Initiate programmed check-ins for all new students
  • Make peer programs sustainable.
    Including student voice is key. Ask students to co-design activities or mentor structures. When students become involved and provide input, programs often increase momentum and sustainability.
  • Track who is accessing support.
    Collect simple tallies to help you determine if anyone is being missed.
  1. Reduce Ambiguity Where You Can

When assessing PSSP across all states, Clearinghouse researchers found major variability in PSSP requirements and very little enforcement. This lack of guidance leaves schools to interpret the program on their own.

Lipsky noted that when direction is vague, individuals disseminating a program use more discretion and personal judgment.

What you can do:

  • Standardize the basics.
    Agree on the following:

    • Determine what information must be included on your resource webpage
    • Establish how your peer program will function
    • Organize and communicate what information teachers should know about the Interstate Compact and enrollment issues
  • Keep room for local adaptation.
    Excessive standardization may reduce responsiveness, especially in rural schools with limited staff or in buildings with high turnover. The goal for employing PSSP is clarity, not rigidity.
  • Create simple job aids.
    Develop and use quick reference sheets to help staff make consistent decisions.
  1. Strengthen Feedback and Evaluation

The Clearinghouse reports show limited quantitative data on how PSSP affects student outcomes.

This lack of evidence reinforces Lipsky’s prediction that, when formal metrics are weak, discretion, not policy, guides practice. Schools end up assuming a program works rather than knowing if the program works.

What you can do:

  • Ask students and families directly.
    Ask the following two questions:

    • “What tasks or activities made your transition easier?”
    • “What tasks or activities would you change for the next new student?”
      Using this simple feedback loop can help improve your system.
  • Track a few indicators.
  • Use what you learn.
    Even using small adjustments that come from feedback can reduce inequities and cut down on rationing.
  1. Build Capacity, Not Burnout

Educators want to support military students, but time and staffing limits are real. Lipsky reveals that burnout and overload can shape implementation as much as policy design.

What you can do:

  • Advocate for time.
    Ask your principal to include POC duties in official schedules or give release time for key tasks.
  • Use teams instead of individuals.
    Spread responsibilities to reduce stress on a single person.
  • Integrate PSSP with existing work.
    Include military-connected student needs in your Multi-Tiered Systems of Support framework, school climate initiatives, or counseling protocols so the work is not a separate add-on.

Final Thoughts

Lipsky’s work shows that people, not policies, determine how effectively programs operate. For the PSSP, this means the most important factor is not the banner at the school entrance but the daily choices made by educators who welcome new families, run peer programs, and connect students to support. By establishing clear routines, asking for and using student voice, and incorporating small but steady structures, schools can make PSSP meaningful even within real constraints.

Reference(s):

  Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness. (2023). State implementation of four initiatives to support military-connected students. https://militaryfamilies.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/clearinghouse_report_speakmc_initiatives_20240220rev-2.pdf

Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness. (2024). An implementation evaluation of four initiatives intended to support military-connected children’s educational success. https://militaryfamilies.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/clearinghouse_report_speakmc_initiatives_20240919_final-2.pdf

Lipsky, M. (1980). Street-level bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the individual in public services. Russell Sage Foundation.

 

Classroom Rituals for a Calm Winter Season

Published on December 12, 2025
Male teacher sitting at table with young students

The countdown to winter break can be a mix of excitement and waning patience for students and teachers. Schedules shift, attention spans shrink, and classroom energy rises. During this hectic season, educators should uphold consistent routines and implement thoughtful rituals to help maintain a sense of calm and purpose. A structured classroom can support continued learning and safeguard teachers’ well-being. When teachers use some advance planning, they create an atmosphere in which students are better able to focus, and they set up learning environments that boost post-break success.

Maintain routines and expectations.

Interruptions to routines are a common challenge during this time of year. Routines help students prepare for learning tasks and transitions, as well as understand how to behave during classroom activities; however, these practices can be disrupted by special events and adjusted schedules. When seasonal events disrupt routines, teachers may be tempted to assign busywork or introduce other low-energy activities, but these tasks may not provide enough rigor for students to take their learning seriously. Conversely, teachers may want to capitalize on the impending excitement and introduce stimulating projects, presentations, and experiential learning. However, this type of activity could give students too much leeway and create a disruptive situation. In fact, a good strategy for managing energetic students and changing schedules is to maintain the same expectations and provide the same level of academic rigor as usual. Teachers should not lower their expectations to match student behavior or become stricter in response to disorderly behaviors; instead, they should maintain their normal routines and classroom management procedures.

In order to maximize learning in the days leading up to a break, teachers can clearly restate their classroom rules and expectations and follow through with applying consequences when necessary. Additionally, they should continue to offer a variety of challenging, standard learning activities, as students who are engaged in appropriate work are less likely to misbehave. Finally, teachers can make a plan for managing changes to routines and communicate this plan to students. What activities will take place during short periods? Are there any class periods when students will do activities that are different from the usual?

Support Military-Connected Students During the Holiday Season

As routines shift, the winter holidays can bring added stress or emotional complexity to military-connected students—especially those experiencing deployment, training absences, or other separations from a parent.

Educators can strengthen classroom calm and connection by integrating small, thoughtful practices:

  • Acknowledge deployment-aware needs. Teachers who are aware of a deployment (within OPSEC limits) can be more intentional about support. Understanding the deployment situation can help educators anticipate emotional fluctuations, hesitation during celebrations, or an increased need for reassurance (Seasons of My Military Student, n.d.).
  • Offer “sendable” or shareable holiday activities. When planning seasonal work, consider activities that students can share with a deployed parent, such as digital cards, photos, class videos, or simple flat items that can be mailed. These alternatives help military-connected students feel included and give them meaningful ways to stay connected to their away parent (Seasons of My Military Student, n.d.).
  • Provide flexible participation options. If families are invited to attend a classroom event, students with a deployed parent may appreciate alternatives, such as inviting another trusted adult or allowing the absent parent to participate virtually through a recorded message or brief video call when possible.
  • Create space for feelings and reassurance. Some students may feel sadness, guilt, or mixed emotions about celebrating while a parent is far away. To help students stay regulated and connected to their away parent, teachers could invite optional check-ins, validate students’ feelings, and encourage simple ways to help their students share experiences with the absent parent.

These strategies do not replace academic rigor or routines. Instead, they enrich the classroom environment with stability, empathy, and awareness of the diverse experiences students carry into the winter season.

Protect your own well-being.

Teacher exhaustion and burnout are challenges that can occur any time of year but may be more prevalent before winter break, and a teacher’s attitude, positive or negative, can negatively affect the classroom climate. Changing schedules and increased student energy can impact teachers’ mental health. Prioritizing professional self-help can help teachers maintain momentum, prioritize tasks that are important to them, and create more time for self-care. Teachers can engage in professional self-care by re-focusing on their “why” and reminding themselves that their work is meaningful and vital. They should make sure to celebrate small victories; respond to tough days and mistakes with self-compassion; and set boundaries to control what is controllable, such as defining work hours and attending special events outside of school.

Creating calm through stability and intention.

December will likely be a bit chaotic for school professionals, but maintaining intentional classroom rituals such as using morning check-ins, assigning challenging work, and continuing structured transitions can help create stability and help students maintain focus. These practices remind students that even in hectic times, the classroom remains a consistent, welcoming place. By maintaining clear expectations, anchoring your classroom in predictable routines, and supporting your own professional well-being, you can help students navigate the excitement of the season while preserving calm and connection. These small, intentional practices can make a big difference, not only leading up to winter break, but also during any breaks or disruptions.

You can learn more about maintaining rigorous expectations, maximizing structure and predictability, professional self-care, and more on the learning modules page of the School Resources website.

Reference(s):

Seasons of My Military Student. (n.d.). Holidays during deployment. https://seasonsofmymilitarystudent.com/holidays-during-deployment