KS Dept. of Education
TOPEKA — Four Kansas elementary schools have been designated 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona announced Sept. 19.
The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in in striving for – and attaining – exemplary achievement, according to the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C.
There were 353 schools across the country designated as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, including the four in Kansas.
Kansas schools that received the designation are Valley Heights Elementary School, Valley Heights Unified School District 498; Lakeside Elementary School, Waconda USD 272, Cawker City; Edgerton Elementary School, Gardner Edgerton USD 231; and Roesland Elementary School, Shawnee Mission USD 512.
The Blue Ribbon program recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools in one of two performance categories: Exemplary High Performing and Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing. Schools are recognized on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates.
Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among the state’s highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students.
Schools nominated for the Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools must complete an extensive narrative application describing their school culture, philosophy, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership structures and parent and community involvement.
In the Exemplary High-Performing Category, schools are recognized for being among the state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
All Kansas schools were recognized in the Exemplary High Performing Schools category.
Now in its 40th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has presented about 10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards.
In Kansas, 145 (137 public and eight private schools) have been designated as National Blue Ribbon Schools since the program’s inception in 1983.