(NEXSTAR) – Each year, the U.S. Department of Education recognizes hundreds of schools across the country as National Blue Ribbon Schools. But what exactly does this prestigious title even mean?
The Department of Education receives applications from schools around the U.S. every year for the honor of being named a Blue Ribbon School. The application details a school’s culture, programs, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership, family, and community involvement.
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After going through all of the applications, a max of 420 schools are nominated before the final list is selected. The selections are made largely based on two major categories: exemplary high-performing schools and exemplary achievement gap-closing schools .
According to the Department of Education , exemplary high-performing schools are schools that are among the top performers in their state as measured by state assessments or national standardized testing. Exemplary achievement gap-closing schools are schools that excel in narrowing achievement gaps between different student groups and the overall student body…