Awards - Blue Ribbon Schools Program

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National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

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U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel A. Cardona recognized 325 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2021 based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. These schools demonstrate that all students can achieve to high levels. The Department will formally recognize the 302 public and 23 private schools at an awards ceremony in Washington, DC on November 4th and 5th, 2021. The 2021 cohort represent public and non-public elementary, middle, and high schools, including traditional, charter, magnet schools, parochial and independent schools in 45 States, the District of Columbia and Department of Defense Education Activity schools in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, West Point, New York, and Belgium.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. The National Blue Ribbon Schools flag gracing a school's building is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning. National Blue Ribbon Schools are an inspiration and a model for schools still striving for excellence. Now in its 39th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed more than 10,000 awards to over 9,000 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards.