CCSSO, DoW and States Launch Pilot to Standardize Student Military Service Data

Washington, D.C. – The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) today announced the second phase of a joint effort with the U.S. Department of War (DoW) and several state education leaders to help states better prepare and measure student achievement in a military career path.  

CCSSO, DoW and a group of state leaders in June of 2024 launched the Military Enlistment Data Access to Lift Student Success (MEDALS) collaboration to create processes that evaluate student readiness related to a successful transition into the military. This effort would also help states identify areas of improvement to ensure students are aware of the military as a career pathway and that students are successful if they choose it.  

Composed of military leaders, state education staff and other state and federal data experts, MEDALS created project teams focused on 1) technical solution design and 2) the creation of a universal data- sharing agreement. Through this work, five state education agencies are now ready to pilot a prototype data-sharing agreement for initial testing this fall.  

"This pilot is a huge step towards helping state education agencies measure and analyze data that can help prepare all students for their career path after high school. We know the military is a successful pathway for many students, on par with college or workforce opportunities that states already measure and report,” said CCSSO Chief Executive Officer Carissa Moffat Miller. “CCSSO is thankful to the DoW and representatives from Arkansas, Kansas, Ohio, Tennessee and Washington for their leadership in this program.”  

“The Department of War is pleased to partner with CCSSO to increase American students’ awareness of exciting military career options and to help them prepare to meet the Department’s high standards,” said Tim Dill, Assistant Secretary of War for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. “The Department has seen a jump in interest to serve over the past year, and this data-sharing agreement will help us continue to successfully recruit the best young Americans.” 

The five participating state education agencies and the DoW will sign agreements using common language and begin sharing military enlistment indicators exclusively between their respective agencies and the DoW. Each agreement ensures the student-level information is shared only between the participating state education agency and the DoW; data is not shared among other states or third parties. 
 
At the end of the work, the MEDALS project teams will analyze the results to determine any adjustments that may be needed to the agreement and data elements. The next phase will involve working to further refine governance, data elements and universal transfer approaches before making the agreements available to other states. The teams anticipate a broader rollout to additional states in the 2026-2027 school year.  

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The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, Bureau of Indian Education, and five U.S. extra- state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public.