Charles England Elementary Named AttendNC Bright Spot School for Attendance Improvement
Charles England Elementary School has been recognized by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction as an AttendNC Bright Spot School, highlighting the school’s significant progress in reducing chronic absenteeism and improving student attendance.
The statewide AttendNC Bright Spots initiative identifies schools demonstrating meaningful improvement in chronic absenteeism while also performing better than expected when factors related to each school’s individual context are considered.
NCDPI identified 310 Bright Spot schools across 62 counties and 75 public school units using 2024–25 attendance data. To receive the designation, a school had to reduce chronic absenteeism by at least five percentage points from its 2021–22 pandemic-era peak and record an absenteeism rate meaningfully below what NCDPI’s statistical model predicted for a school with similar characteristics.
At Charles England Elementary, school leaders say the improvement has been driven by an intentional, schoolwide approach that combines attendance monitoring, student recognition, family relationships and engaging school experiences.
“We are extremely proud of our Yellow Jackets, staff and families for being recognized as an AttendNC Bright Spot School. This recognition reflects our collective commitment to ensuring every student is present, engaged and ready to learn each day,” said Dr. Michael Courtwright, principal of Charles England Elementary School. “Our School Improvement Team has worked intentionally with grade-level teams to strengthen attendance by closely monitoring trends, recognizing students for strong attendance and creating engaging school experiences on days that have historically seen higher absences around holidays and school breaks. Most importantly, our teachers create meaningful learning experiences in safe, warm and welcoming classrooms where students feel valued, connected and excited to come to school each day.”
The recognition comes as chronic absenteeism remains a statewide challenge. More than 380,000 North Carolina students were chronically absent during the 2024–25 school year. A student is considered chronically absent when they miss 10% or more of the school year.
Through AttendNC Counts, NCDPI is working to identify schools where attendance is improving, understand the practices contributing to those gains and share promising approaches that other schools and districts can adapt.
“Charles England Elementary’s recognition as an AttendNC Bright Spot School demonstrates what can happen when a school community approaches student success with high expectations, accountability and urgency,” said Lexington City Schools Superintendent Dr. Ron Anthony. “Attendance is foundational to achievement. Students must be present to benefit from strong instruction, meaningful relationships and the opportunities our schools provide. We are extremely proud of the students, families, staff and leadership at Charles England Elementary for this accomplishment.”
Charles England Elementary’s approach reflects several areas NCDPI has identified as important to attendance improvement, including monitoring attendance, strengthening family engagement, supporting school climate and belonging, and responding intentionally to attendance patterns.
The recognition also comes during Attendance Awareness Month in North Carolina, as education leaders across the state continue to focus attention on reducing chronic absenteeism and ensuring students have consistent access to classroom instruction.
Lexington City Schools congratulates the entire Charles England Elementary School community on this statewide recognition.
About Lexington City Schools
Lexington City Schools prepares every student to achieve their aspirations in a rapidly changing world. Guided by its 2024–29 Strategic Plan, the district empowers every student to thrive socially, emotionally and academically through safe, inclusive learning environments, instructional excellence and strong family and community partnerships.
