Vol. 41, No. 61

October 31 , 2007

CONTACT:  JIM MORRIS
Director, Public Information
573-751-3469

Five Public Schools Win “Blue Ribbon” Honors

Five public elementary schools in Missouri were honored this week as “No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools” by the U.S. Department of Education:

The Missouri schools are among 287 outstanding elementary schools that were recognized this week (October 2) by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. 

To qualify for the prestigious national award, schools must:  have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and make dramatic gains in academic performance; or score in the top 10 percent on their respective state tests.  In addition, schools must meet the adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals defined by each state for academic achievement in reading and math.

The 2007 Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 12-13.