Archived Information
BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM
Schools Recognized
1982-1983 Through 1999-2002
For further information, contact:
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Knowledge Applications Division
Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination
Office of Educational Research and Improvement
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5643
(202) 219-2149
BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS PROGRAM
Purpose:
Since the Blue Ribbon Schools Program was established by the Secretary of Education in 1982, it has developed into a national school improvement strategy with three purposes. First, it identifies and recognizes outstanding public and private schools across the nation. Second, the program makes research-based effectiveness criteria available to all schools so they can assess themselves and plan improvements. Third, the program encourages schools, both within and among themselves, to share information about best practices based on a common understanding of criteria related to educational success.
Blue Ribbon Schools are models of both excellence and equity. To be recognized, a school must demonstrate a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students. The program welcomes applications from schools that have demonstrated sustained success in achieving these values, as well as schools that have overcome obstacles and can provide evidence of significant improvements.
Which Schools May Be Nominated?
Public and private schools serving grades K-12 from the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Department of Defense Dependents Schools, may be nominated. Elementary and secondary schools are eligible to participate in alternate years. Middle schools participate in program with secondary schools.
The minimum period of operation for public and private schools, including newly merged schools, is five years; that is, the school must be in its sixth full year of operation when the application is submitted. Previously recognized schools are eligible to reapply after a five year waiting period.
How Are Schools Chosen?
Each state education agency administers its own program for selecting public schools to be nominated to the national level. Chief State School Officers make their nominations to the U.S. Department of Education. The Council for American Private Education nominates private schools, and officials of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools nominate their schools. Each of these nominating agencies has an assigned Blue Ribbon liaison who provides guidance to schools applying to the program.
The Department convenes the National Review Panel to evaluate the nominations. The panel consists of approximately 100 outstanding public and private school educators from the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels. Based on the quality of the application, the most promising schools are recommended for site visits. The purpose of a visit is to verify the accuracy of the information the school has provided in its nomination form and to gather any additional information the panel has requested. Experienced educators, including principals of previously recognized schools, visit and observe the schools for two days and submit written site visit reports. The National Review Panel considers the reports in its final review of applicants and makes recommendations to the U.S. Secretary of Education, who then announces the names of the schools selected for recognition.
What Selection Criteria Are Used?
The National Review Panel considers the following general categories in analyzing the application of each school:
§ Student Focus and Support
§ School Organization and Culture
§ Challenging Standards and Curriculum
§ Active Teaching and Learning
§ Professional Community
§ Leadership and Educational Vitality
§ School, Family, and Community Partnerships
§ Indicators of Success
Details of these eight categories of selection criteria are provided in the nomination package available through the nominating agencies or on the U.S. Department of Education website.
Each year, special emphases are designated. These represent areas where school performance needs to be greatly improved and where effective models are sought. Schools may choose to seek honors in one special emphasis area in addition to comprehensive recognition.
What Are the Benefits?
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program has proven to be effective in numerous ways:
§ The nomination package provides a comprehensive framework of research-based criteria that schools can use to assess themselves and plan changes. The self-assessment is an opportunity to involve all relevant stakeholders in a common school improvement project.
§ Recognition is a powerful energizer for recognized schools to make further improvements.
§ By publicly validating school improvement efforts, confidence in recognized schools increases. Their receiving the award often results in higher local funding for schools, greater parent and community involvement in education, and success in the search for outside funds and other resources.
§ The public spotlight shines on recognized schools; often they are the subjects of articles in national, state, and local publications. They are designated as the universe from which schools, teachers, or students are selected for special awards from business and industry.
§ Recognized schools have opportunities to share their effective practices with other schools as well as to learn from other schools.
School City Year(s) Recognized
State Recognition Programs:
Acknowledging the value of recognition as a school improvement strategy, 18 states and the District of Columbia have developed their own recognition programs. These state programs use criteria similar to the national Blue Ribbon Schools Program. Schools in these states generally achieve state recognition prior to national recognition.
States with their own recognition programs include:
§ Arizona: A+ School Recognition Program
§ Arkansas: Arkansas Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ California: Distinguished Schools Program
§ Colorado: Schools of Excellence Program
§ District of Columbia: Schools of Excellence Program
§ Georgia: Schools of Excellence Program
§ Hawaii: Hawaii Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ Indiana: Indiana Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ Iowa: FINE Program
§ Kentucky: Kentucky Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ Maryland: Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ Michigan: Michigan Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ Missouri: Gold Star Schools Program
§ Nevada: Nevada Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ New Jersey: Best Practices/Star Schools Program
§ South Carolina: South Carolina Blue Ribbon Schools
§ Texas: Successful Schools Awards Program
§ Washington: Washington Blue Ribbon Schools Program
§ West Virginia: Schools of Excellence Program
Partnerships:
Partnerships with education associations have contributed greatly to the high success of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The partners are the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and the National Middle School Association.
For More Information Contact:
U.S. Department of Education
Knowledge Applications Division
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
555 New Jersey Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20208-5643
(202) 219-2149
Internet Address:
URL: http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/BlueRibbonSchools/
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School City Year(s) Recognized
ALABAMA
Academy for Academics and Arts Huntsville 87-88
Auburn Early Education Center Auburn 98-99
Bob Jones High School Madison 92-93
Brookwood Forest Elementary School Birmingham 98-99
Buckhorn High School New Market 01-02
Bush Middle School Birmingham 83-84
C.F. Vigor High School Prichard 83-84
Cahaba Heights Community School Birmingham 85-86
Crestline Heights Elementary School Mountain Brook 01-02
Corpus Christi School Mobile 89-90
East Highland Middle School Sylacauga 84-85
Edgewood Elementary School Homewood 91-92
Elvin Hill Elementary School Columbiana 87-88
Enterprise High School Enterprise 83-84
EPIC Elementary School Birmingham 93-94
Eura Brown Elementary School Gadsden 91-92
George Hall Elementary School Mobile 96-97
Grantswood Community School Irondale 91-92
Guntersville Elementary School Guntersville 98-99
Hewitt-Trussville High School Trussville 92-93
Homewood High School Homewood 83-84
Homewood Middle School Homewood 83-84, 96-97
Indian Valley Elementary School Sylacauga 89-90
Inverness Elementary School Birmingham 96-97
Ira F. Simmons Junior High School Birmingham 84-85
John S. Jones Elementary School Rainbow City 00-01
Julian Newman Elementary School Athens 87-88
Leeds Elementary School Leeds 93-94
Liberty Middle School Madison 00-01
Louis Pizitz Middle School Birmingham 94-96
Mars Hill Bible School Florence 86-87, 92-93
Mars Hill Bible School (Elementary) Florence 87-88
Maryvale Elementary School Mobile 93-94
Mountain Brook High School Mountain Brook 83-84, 92-93
Mountain Brook Junior High School Birmingham 99-00
Muscle Shoals High School Muscle Shoals 90-91
Oak Mountain Elementary School Birmingham 93-94
Olive J. Dodge Elementary School Mobile 00-01
Our Lady of the Valley School Birmingham 98-99
Pauline O'Rourke Elementary School Mobile 96-97
Peter F. Alba Elementary School Bayou La Batre 98-99
Phillips Preparatory School Mobile 94-96
Pinson Elementary School Pinson 91-92
Randolph School Huntsville 01-02
Riverchase Middle School Birmingham 84-85
S.S. Murphy High School Mobile 86-87
Saint Ignatius School Mobile 87-88, 96-97
St. Paul's Episcopal School Mobile 88-89
Shades Cahaba Elementary School Homewood 93-94
South Side Elementary School Gadsen 89-90
Stemley Road Elementary School Talladega 96-97
Sylacauga High School Sylacauga 84-85
Tarrant Elementary School Tarrant 93-94
Valley Elementary School Pelham 85-86
Vestavia Hills Elementary School Vestavia Hills 85-86
Vestavia Hills High School Vestavia Hills 90-91
W.P. Davidson High School Mobile 90-91, 94-96
West Blocton Elementary School West Blocton 2000-01
Westlawn Elementary School Decatur 89-90
ALASKA
East Anchorage High School Anchorage 90-91
Gruening Junior High School Eagle River 84-85
Homer High School Homer 88-89
Kenai Junior High School Kenai 83-84
Mendenhall River Community School Juneau 93-94
North Star Elementary School Nikiski 93-94
Petersburg High School Petersburg 86-87
Romig Junior High School Anchorage 84-85
Rosamond Weller Elementary School Fairbanks 87-88
Soldotna High School Soldotna 82-83
Soldotna Junior High School Soldotna 82-83
Tok School Tok 85-86
Valdez High School Valdez 82-83
West Anchorage High School Anchorage 92-93
Yakutat Elementary School Yakutat 87-88
ARIZONA
Abia Judd Elementary School Prescott 00-01
Agua Fria Union High School Avondale 82-83
Amphitheater High School Tucson 83-84
Andersen Elementary School Chandler 96-97
Anna Marie Jacobson Elementary School Chandler 00-01
Apache School Peoria 00-01
Baboquivari Junior High School Sells 86-87
Booker T. Washington School Mesa 85-86
Butterfield Elementary School Tucson 98-99
Centennial Elementary School Tucson 93-94
Chalanger Elementary School Nogales 98-99
Chandler High School Chandler 82-83, 86-87
Cherokee Elementary School Paradise Valley 87-88
Craycroft Elementary School Tucson 91-92
Del Rio Elementary School Chino Valley 93-94
Desert Cove Elementary School Phoenix 87-88
Desert Shadows Middle School Scottsdale 86-87
Desert Sky Middle School Glendale 90-91
Dobson High School Mesa 86-87
Echo Mountain Elementary School Phoenix 89-90
Elvira Elementary School Tucson 00-01
Esperero Canyon Middle School Tucson 01-02
Flowing Wells High School Tucson 86-87, 90-91
Flowing Wells Junior High School Tucson 84-85
Frye Elementary School Chandler 87-88
Ganado Primary School Ganado 96-97
Goodman Elementary School Chandler 96-97
Green Fields Country Day School Tucson 84-85
Greenway High School Phoenix 94-96
Greenway Middle School Phoenix 86-87
Harvey L. Taylor Junior High School Mesa 84-85
Homer Davis Elementary School Tucson 98-99
Ingleside Middle Shool Phoenix 01-02
Indian Bend Elementary School Phoenix 87-88
John J. Rhodes Junior High School Mesa 82-83, 92-93
Kino Junior High School Mesa 84-85
Laguna Elementary School Tucson 85-86
Manzanita School Tucson 93-94
Mesa High School Mesa 83-84
Mohave Middle School Scottsdale 92-93
Mountain View High School Mesa 84-85
Page Elementary School Page 85-86
Palomino Elementary School Phoenix 89-90
Poston Junior High School Mesa 83-84
Quail Run Elementary School Tucson 00-01
Ramon S. Mendoza Elementary School Mesa 96-97
Rancho Viejo School Yuma 87-88
Red Mountain High School Mesa 94-96
Richardson Elementary School Tucson 87-88
Rover Elementary School Tempe 00-01
Safford Engineering/Technology
Magnet Middle School Tucson 92-93
Saguaro High School Scottsdale 97-98
Saint Mary-Basha Catholic Elementary School Chandler 93-94
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School Phoenix 96-97
Sanborn Elementary School Chandler 00-01
Sandpiper Elementary School Scottsdale 91-92
Santa Rita High School Tucson 84-85
Sequoya Elementary School Scottsdale 91-92, 00-01
Shea Middle School Phoenix 83-84
Show Low Primary School Show Low 91-92
Shumway Elementary School Chandler 93-94
Sirrine Elementary School Chandler 89-90
Tortolita Middle School Tuscon 99-00
Utterback Junior High School Tucson 83-84
Veora E. Johnson Elementary School Mesa 87-88
Walter Douglas Elementary School Tucson 89-90
Weinberg Elementary School Chandler 85-86
Western Sky Middle School Goodyear 94-96
Westwood Elementary School Springdale 90-91, 00-01
Westwood High School Mesa 83-84
Willis Junior High School Chandler 82-83
Xavier College Preparatory School Phoenix 90-91, 94-96
Yavapai Elementary School Scottsdale 89-90
ARKANSAS
Annie Camp Middle School Jonesboro 82-83
Arkadelphia High School Arkadelphia 90-91
Conway High School Conway 84-85
Douglas MacArthur Middle School Jonesboro 82-83
Jonesboro High School Jonesboro 82-83
Louisa E. Perritt Primary School Arkadelphia 87-88
Northside High School Fort Smith 92-93
Old High Middle School Bentonville 94-96
Parson Hills Elementary School Springdale 93-94
Robert E. Lee Elementary School Springdale 96-97
Root Elementary School Fayetteville 91-92
Southside High School Fort Smith 82-83, 86-87, 99-00
Thurman G. Smith Elementary School Springdale 87-88
Walker Elementary School Springdale 96-97
Westwood Elementary School Springdale 89-90
White Hall High School Pine Bluff 83-84
BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
Bug-O-Nay-Ge-Shig Middle School Cass Lake, Minnesota 94-96
Cherokee Central Schools Cherokee, North Carolina 88-89
Cherokee Elementary School Cherokee, North Carolina 87-88
Dzilth-na-o-dith-hle Community School Bloomfield, New Mexico 86-87
St. Stephens Indian School St. Stephens, Wyoming 93-94
Santa Clara Day School Espanola, New Mexico 89-90
Santa Fe Indian School Santa Fe, New Mexico 86-87
Sky City Community School Acoma, New Mexico 90-91
CALIFORNIA
Abraham Lincoln Academic, Visual, and
Performing Arts Magnet School San Jose 97-98
Academy of Our Lady of Peace San Diego 88-89, 92-93, 99-00
Admiral Akers School NAS Lemoore 86-87
Adolfo Camarillo High School Camarillo 97-98
Akers School NAS Lemoore 86-87, 98-99
Alameda High School Alameda 92-93
Alamo Elementary School Alamo 85-86, 91-92
Alamo Elementary School San Francisco 96-97
Aliso Niguel High School Aliso Viejo 99-00
Aliso Viejo Middle School Aliso Viejo 99-00
Alta Sierra Elementary School Grass Valley 98-99