Description of the Gold Star and Blue Ribbon Schools Programs
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools whose students achieve at very high levels or schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program sets a standard of excellence for all schools striving for the highest level of achievement.
Schools are eligible for Blue Ribbon recognition if they meet either one of two criteria:
- High performing schools: Schools that are ranked among the state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments in both reading (English language arts) and mathematics or that score at the highest performance level on tests referenced by national norms in at least the most recent year tested.
- Improving schools: Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that have reduced the achievement gap by improving student performance to high levels in reading (English language arts) and mathematics on state assessments or tests referenced by national norms in at least the most recent year tested.
At least one-third of the public schools nominated by each state must be schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Public schools must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in the year of their nomination.
Schools must now be nominated based on their whole school performance, not just the highest grade tested. As a result, the Department has defined “high performing” to include the top 15 percent of schools in a state.
Based on state data, the CSSO will certify that the nominated schools meet one of two eligibility criteria:
- High performing schools. “High performing” is defined by the CSSO of each state, but at a minimum means:
(a) that the achievement of the school’s students in the most recent year tested places the school among the highest performing schools in the state on state assessments of reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, and
(b) disaggregated results for student subgroups, including students from disadvantaged backgrounds, must be similar to the results for all students tested.
- Improving schools: If at least 40 percent of the school’s students are from disadvantaged backgrounds, a school may qualify if the achievement of its students has improved to high levels. “Improved to high levels” is defined by the CSSO of each state but, at a minimum, means:
(a) the school has demonstrated a positive trend in test results from the earliest to the most recent year tested,
(b) in the most recent year tested, the achievement of the school’s students places the school in the top 40 percent of schools in the state on state assessments of reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, and
(c) disaggregated results for student subgroups, including students from disadvantaged backgrounds, must show improvement similar to that of all students. “