Schools honored are academically superior or show dramatic gains in student achievement
U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret
Spellings today named 320 schools as 2008 No Child Left Behind-Blue
Ribbon Schools. The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools award
distinguishes and honors schools for helping students achieve at very
high levels and for making significant progress in closing the
achievement gap.
For the past 26 years, this prestigious program has honored more than 5, 800 of America's most successful schools.
"These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and
students can achieve," Spellings said. "Now our challenge is to help
other schools follow their lead by continuing to measure progress
through No Child Left Behind, and by using the knowledge we've gained
to replicate effective strategies and help every student improve."
The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public
and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either
academically superior or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student
achievement to high levels. The schools are selected based on one of
two criteria:
- schools with at least 40 percent of their students from
disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance
to high levels on state tests; and
- schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the
top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private
schools in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests.
Under No Child Left Behind, schools must make Adequate Yearly
Progress, or AYP, in reading (language arts) and mathematics. Each
state—not the federal government—sets its own academic standards and
benchmark goals.
A total of 413 schools nationwide can be nominated. This number is
determined based on the number of K-12 students and the number of
schools in each state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. The
Chief State School Officer (CSSO) nominates public schools, and the
Council for American Private Education (CAPE) submits private schools'
nominations. The schools are invited by Secretary Spellings to submit
an application for possible recognition as a No Child Left Behind-Blue
Ribbon School. This year's winners will be honored at an awards
ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 20-21.
