PHOENIX — Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas announced today which Arizona schools are being honored as a National Blue Ribbon School. “I am proud of our Arizona schools and am glad there is an award to honor their hard work and dedication to the students and the community. These schools are putting the children first by creating safe and welcoming places where they can learn and be challenged.”
In Arizona, five schools made the grade by meeting the U.S. Department of Education’s accountability requirements:
* Acacia Elementary School Vail, Arizona
* Arizona College Preparatory – Oakland Campus Chandler, Arizona
* Franklin at Brimhall Elementary School Mesa, Arizona
* Palm Valley Elementary School Goodyear, Arizona
* Seton Catholic Preparatory High School Chandler, Arizona
The U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recognized 342 schools nationwide as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2017. “National Blue Ribbon Schools are active demonstrations of preparing every child for a bright future,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to the honorees. “You are visionaries, innovators and leaders.”
These schools are being recognized for their performance in two categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:
* Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
* Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years.
Now in its 35th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition to more than 8,500 schools. On November 6-7, these schools will be honored at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. by the U.S. Secretary and the Department of Education.
Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year, but only the top schools make the grade to be honored as a National Blue Ribbon School. For more information about this national award, please visit azed.gov/blueribbonschools/ or the national website.
