On Thursday, the United States Department of Education announced the winners of this year’s Blue Ribbon award, the highest honor given by the department to a school. Five Alabama schools were among the winners for their exemplary performance on state assessments.
The five Alabama recipients of the 2017 National Blue Ribbon are:
- Leon Sheffield Magnet Elementary School (Decatur City School System)
- Liberty Park Elementary School (Vestavia Hills City School System)
- Memorial Park Elementary School (Jasper City School System)
- Saraland Elementary School (Saraland City School System)
- Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools-Middle (Tuscaloosa City School System)
These five comprise a list of more than 90 Alabama schools awarded the Blue Ribbon since the program’s conception in 1982. The award is presented to schools across the nation based on their overall academic performance or their success in closing achievement gaps between students. The 2017 Blue Ribbon was awarded to 342 schools across the country.
Alabama’s winners were recognized in the “Exemplary High Performing” category, meaning that each school must be in the top 15 percent of all schools in performance on statewide assessments.
In a press release on Thursday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos addressed the recipients saying,
“You are visionaries, innovators and leaders. You have much to teach us: some of you personalize student learning, others engage parents and communities in the work and life of your local schools, and still others develop strong and forward-thinking leaders from among your teaching staff.”
DeVos and the Department of Education will host the winners in Washington, D.C. for a ceremony to celebrate their achievements.
