North Carolina has long been home to a large population of active duty, guard, reserve and veteran armed service members. In recognition of the state’s rich military history, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) is pleased to recognize hundreds of schools as part of its Purple Star Award Designation initiative which first launched in the 2019-20 school year.
For the 2025-26 school year, 598 schools, including 15 charter schools, received Purple Star recognition, an increase of 143 schools over last year’s total awardees. In all, 34 districts across North Carolina are represented and 145 schools are first time awardees.
Award recipients were honored April 24 at a ceremony that included remarks from North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice "Mo" Green; Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, and Colonel Timothy Drieselein, commanding officer of Marine Corps Air Station – Cherry Point.
Public school units who have received the award for five to seven consecutive years were also honored at the ceremony. Harnett County Schools, Alpha Academy and Anderson Creek Academy received legacy plaques for receiving the award for seven consecutive years since the program’s inception in 2019-20.
Additionally, 13 districts were honored with the State Superintendent’s Purple Star District Award, as each school in those districts qualify for Purple Star designation. The districts recognized are: Camden County Schools, Catawba County Schools, Craven County Schools, Currituck County Schools, Elizabeth City-Pasquotank Public Schools, Hertford County Schools, Hoke County Schools, Jones County Schools, Lee County Schools, Lexington City Schools, Onslow County Schools, Polk County Schools and Richmond County Schools. Carteret County Public Schools, Cumberland County Schools, Moore County Schools, Pender County Schools, Wayne County Public Schools, Whiteville City Schools and Northeast Academy of Aerospace & Advanced Technologies earned the legacy plaque for receiving the Purple Star designation for six consecutive years.
“I’m thrilled to honor the record number of Purple Star schools and districts for their dedication supporting military-connected students throughout their educational journey,” Green said. “Your work supporting military-connected students and their families in North Carolina’s public schools makes a tremendous impact both inside and out of the classroom. It is through efforts like the Purple Star award that North Carolina’s public schools become the best in the nation.”
NCDPI is proud to continue this initiative as a way to honor schools that demonstrate military-friendly practices and show commitment to military students and families. Schools across the state applied for the special designation, and those deemed Purple Star Schools completed several required activities plus an optional activity aimed at ensuring strong support for students of military families.
Schools earning the Purple Star Award were required to have a staff member as a designated point of contact for military students and families, a designated central administration staff member supporting the point of contact in the school and also the provision of annual professional development addressing special considerations for military students and families. Purple Star schools also provide a dedicated page on their websites for military family resources or links to the district’s webpage with military family resources as well as a transition program to support inbound and outbound military students and families, along with a checklist for their use.
For the optional activities, awarded schools selected from one of five activities with many of the schools opting for more than one. These include a school-hosted annual military recognition event such as Month of the Military Child, Month of the Military Family, Purple-Up! For Military Kids!, Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day.
Review the recipients of the 2025-26 Purple Star Award. Learn more about the Purple Star Award.