Military Student Identifier

The Military Student Identifier (MSI) was mandated in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA 2015), which requires states and districts to report on the performance of students with a parent in the armed forces each year. With the adoption of ESSA, military-connected students became a distinct subgroup. This subgroup comprises students with a parent serving in the armed forces as defined in section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are a school’s obligations for collecting MSI data?

• Schools (Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and public charters) must include the MSI question in their annual student enrollment/registration procedures.
• Each State Educational Agency (SEA) or LEA can determine policies regarding the MSI classification codes and clarify data collection procedures to meet reporting requirements.

When do schools ask about MSI?

Annually during new enrollment and/or re-registration procedures.

How can schools ask the MSI question in an easy-to-understand way in registration and annulment materials?

SAMPLE:
Does your child have a parent or guardian who is a member of the Armed Forces on active service, which includes Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Coast Guard, or a dependent of a full-time or part-time member of the National Guard or Reserve force of the US military?

____ YES
____ NO

How can schools and districts use this data? 

Schools should consistently disaggregate student demographic and performance data to evaluate program effectiveness and to ensure appropriate tiered resources are available.

1. MSI data can help to ensure tiered social, emotional, academic, behavioral, and mental health needs are recognized and supported, and that appropriate responses are systematically provided to all military-connected students.
   • For example, MSI data can help schools review welcome and exit best practices, relocation planning, and the need for tiered academic or mental health support.
2. Effective use of MSI data enables schools to recognize, engage, and support military families through school-community focused military initiatives.
3. The MSI can help provide targeted responses for the unique military student population which involves frequent school relocations during the K-12 education years.
4. Just as schools consistently concentrate on the unique needs of all students (e.g., English language needs, learning disabilities, economically disadvantaged), they can now include another unique group of students to their program planning and curriculum design.

It also promotes visibility of military-connected families and students and allows for implementation of the Interstate Compact for Military Children and supports eligibility for requirements for schools to earn Colorado’s Purple Star Schools Award.