What is a National Blue Ribbon School?

Academic merit is a substantial factor to take into consideration when choosing a charter school for your child.

Merit can vary state to state based on educational standards, and recognition requirements. Nonetheless, there are several national award programs like The National Blue Ribbon Program that critiques and awards school on a level playing field.

What is a National Blue Ribbon School?

A National Blue Ribbon School is a highly-regarded school that has exceeded education standards, and more!

Read more about the National Blue Ribbon Program to learn why you should consider placing in an accreditated school.

What is a National Blue Ribbon School?

The National Blue Ribbon of Distinction is an esteemed award that exemplifies merit in education that is presented by the U.S. Department of Educations annually.

Schools that are awarded the blue ribbon are the best of the best! According to the National Blue Ribbon Program:

“The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private K-12 schools that are either academically superior in their state or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.” 

With this in mind, it is safe to say that not every nominated school receives the award. Keep reading to learn about the

How Does a School Earn a Blue Ribbon?

Because of the prestigious nature of the program, not every school is guaranteed the distinction. In fact, only 8,500 schools have received the award since it was founded in 1982!

Schools must meet the two following criteria to be nominated for the award:

• The school must demonstrate Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for at least three consecutive years. In other words, the school must exhibit ongoing academic growth and excellence.
• At least 40 percent of the school student body must be disadvantaged in some way.

In addition, the school must meet one of the two following categories depending on the category that the school falls into:

• Exemplary High Performing Schools. Schools in this category must score at the highest level on tests in recent years. This category is broken down into further requirements. However, to summarize, the school must rank in the top 15 percent of all schools on state assessments in math and reading.

• Exemplary Improving Schools. Schools in this category are recognized for closing the achievement gap. Schools must demonstrate that over the previous five years math and reading scores have improved significantly. In addition, the nominated school must rank in the top 15 percent of all schools at the state level in this category.

All in all, the school must exemplify a drive to achieve high standards to compete amongst the best.

Should You Enroll Your Child into a Blue Ribbon School?

The Blue Ribbon is a prestigious recognition that only a few have the opportunity to showcase.

Awarded schools have progressed beyond the benchmark to meet exemplary academic achievements. In addition, students are challenged to be the best version of themselves. For this reason, it is not a reason to see why it is in your child’s best interest to attend an accreditated school.

In this case, consider The Academies of Math & Science—or AMS.

AMS Charter is a STEM-focused school that champions independent and critical thinking students.

With this in mind, it’s not hard to guess why, in recent years, AMS Charter was awarded The National Blue Ribbon of Distinction!

Give your child the best opportunity to thrive! Enroll your student at AMS Charter or take a tour of the campus of your choice.