The Socorro Independent School District is proud to announce that 49 of its campuses have received the prestigious Purple Star designation from the Texas Education Agency for the 2025–2026 academic year. With 49 out of 51 SISD campuses now recognized as Purple Star schools, this achievement highlights the district’s strong commitment to supporting military-connected students and their families.
“As SISD celebrates this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to creating welcoming and supportive environments that meet the unique needs of our military-connected students,” said Superintendent James Vasquez. “These families have sacrificed so much, and we are honored to serve them.”
This year, three SISD schools – SSG Manuel Puentes Middle School, Pebble Hills High School and Keys Academy – have been newly designated as Purple Star campuses. Additionally, two schools – Horizon Heights Elementary School and Eastlake High School – have successfully renewed their designation. Currently, SISD proudly serves 6, 707 military-connected students and their families across the district.
The Purple Star Designation is awarded to schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to providing comprehensive support for students from military families. A total of 541 campuses in Texas earned this designation for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years.
To earn this recognition, campuses have met rigorous criteria, including creating a dedicated webpage with resources for military-connected families, instituting a campus transition program for military-connected students, and appointing a campus-based military liaison at each campus.
The designation remains valid for two years, and schools that meet the criteria can re-apply for the designation.
“Our military-connected students face many unique challenges, including frequent relocations, school transitions, and the absence of a parent during deployment,” said Dr. Carmen Olivas-Graham, SISD director of Administrative Services. “The Purple Star designation shows our district's commitment to supporting military families with the resources they need to transition successfully.”