If you’ve ever heard the term “Blue Ribbon school” and wondered what it means, you’re not alone! The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a prestigious award that recognizes exceptional public and private schools across the United States. It’s a symbol of excellence in education, celebrating schools that have demonstrated outstanding performance in student achievement, leadership, and community involvement. Whether it’s through innovative teaching methods or a commitment to student success, Blue Ribbon schools are truly setting the bar high. Let’s dive into what makes this award so special and why it matters to educators, students, and families alike!
What does the term “Blue Ribbon” mean?
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a U.S. Department of Education initiative established in 1982. Its mission is to recognize and celebrate public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that exhibit outstanding academic performance or significant improvement in student achievement, particularly among disadvantaged students.
The Blue Ribbon Award honors schools that demonstrate consistent excellence in educational quality. It acknowledges the hard work of students, educators, administrators, and communities, and serves as a model for other schools aiming to improve their own performance.
What does it mean for a school?
The Blue Ribbon School Award is one of the most prestigious national honors a school can receive. But what exactly does it mean for a school to win a Blue Ribbon Award, and why is it so significant?
The Blue Ribbon Award is a nationally recognized seal of excellence. It serves as a powerful indicator of quality that parents, educators, and the community can trust. Schools that receive this award are recognized as top performers—models of academic excellence, strong leadership, and effective teaching. For parents choosing a school for their children, a Blue Ribbon award can be a deciding factor in selecting where to send their child.
Schools that win a Blue Ribbon often set the standard for excellence and become examples of best practices. For charter schools, this is especially critical. The flexibility of charter schools allows them to experiment with new teaching methods, curricular designs, and student engagement strategies (read more about what a charter school is here). Blue Ribbon recognition provides a platform for these schools to share their successful practices with other educators, policymakers, and school leaders across the country.
Public charter schools, which are publicly funded but operate independently of district school systems, are often perceived differently from traditional public schools. These schools have the flexibility to implement innovative teaching practices, experiment with different curricular models, and cater to specific student needs. Charter schools have the autonomy to shape their educational approach while still being held accountable for academic performance.
When a public charter school wins a Blue Ribbon Award, it’s a particularly significant achievement for several reasons:
Public charter schools are sometimes subject to skepticism or misconceptions about their ability to achieve the same academic outcomes as traditional public schools, particularly in underserved communities. By earning a Blue Ribbon, a charter school demonstrates that it can deliver high levels of academic performance and close achievement gaps, just as effectively as—or in some cases, more effectively than—its district counterparts.
For charter schools that serve populations of students who may face economic challenges or academic obstacles, the award proves that innovation and autonomy can lead to success. It provides tangible evidence that when given the flexibility to try new approaches, charter schools can achieve remarkable outcomes.
Charter schools are unique in that they are often evaluated based on performance contracts or “charters” that outline academic goals, financial expectations, and operational standards. If a charter school fails to meet these benchmarks, it can face closure. Receiving a Blue Ribbon Award provides independent verification that a charter school has met—and exceeded—its performance goals, both in terms of academic achievement and the overall well-being of students.
How does a school get a blue ribbon?
The U.S. Department of Education evaluates schools for the Blue Ribbon Award based on one of two categories:
1. Exemplary High Performing Schools: These are schools that score in the top 15 percent of their state on standardized assessments.
2. Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools: These schools may not be in the top 15 percent overall but have made substantial progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, low-income students, students with disabilities, and English language learners.
In both cases, schools must also meet other criteria, including:
- Strong leadership from the administration
- Effective teaching practices
- Comprehensive student support services
- Family and community engagement
The evaluation process is rigorous, and schools are asked to provide evidence of their efforts in these areas. Schools must show that their academic strategies and educational practices are not only effective but sustainable over time.
While receiving the Blue Ribbon award is a challenging endeavor, Paramount Cottage Home Principal Rebecca Norman says that has always been the goal.
“Since Paramount Cottage Home opened in 2018, our goal has always been to earn a Blue Ribbon award—a testament to the dedication of our hardworking staff and students,” Mrs. Norman said. “Achieving this recognition took six years of effort and perseverance, but when the official letter finally arrived, I was both surprised and absolutely thrilled.”
So What Does This All Mean?
The National Blue Ribbon School Award is a mark of excellence and a validation of the hard work put in by students, teachers, administrators, and the broader community. For public charter schools, winning a Blue Ribbon is particularly meaningful. It showcases that charter schools—independent, innovative, and accountable to their stakeholders—can deliver exceptional outcomes for students, particularly in closing achievement gaps.
For charter schools, this recognition also serves as a critical reminder that innovation and high academic standards can go hand in hand. It proves that charter schools, while often working with unique educational models, can achieve the same high levels of performance as traditional public schools, if not more. A Blue Ribbon is not just a reflection of past success—it’s a sign that a charter school is truly making a difference in the lives of its students and preparing them for future success.
Hear From Our Educators
Kyle Beauchamp, Chief of Schools
1.) Were you expecting to receive a nomination? Did this at all come as a surprise?
"Earning a national blue ribbon award is a big honor so it's not something we expect but was something we set a goal for when Paramount Cottage Home opened in 2018. When Brookside won the award, it inspired us and gave us confidence that we could produce similar results."
2.) What does it mean to you that this is the second school within Paramount’s network that has won a blue ribbon award?
"It's a source of pride for our network. Two schools in one school network winning the National Blue Ribbon Award is unique, it does not happen often. I think it shows the consistency of our academic programming, but most importantly, the high expectations we have for our students."
3.) What sort of challenges did Cottage Home face that they had to overcome to win this award?
"Being a new school start up presents its own set of challenges. (recruiting staff and students, implementing the model, and showing consistency with academic results year after year). Most Blue Ribbon Schools are from areas where students come from socio-economically advantaged environments. At Paramount Cottage Home, our annual rate of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch is above 80%. In addition to this, around 20% of our students qualify for special education services and 10% qualify for language services. The challenge is in creating differentiated programs that support students academically in those environments. Part of qualifying for the award is closing the achievement gaps with all of these subgroups of students. The fact that we consistently do this is a credit to our students, teachers, and families."
Rebecca Norman, Paramount Cottage Home Principal
1.) Were you expecting to receive a nomination? Did this at all come as a surprise?
"Since PCH opened in 2018, our goal has always been to earn a Blue Ribbon Award—a testament to the dedication of our hardworking staff and students. Achieving this recognition took six years of effort and perseverance, but when the official letter finally arrived, I was both surprised and absolutely thrilled."
2.) What does it mean to you that your school won a blue ribbon award?
"Paramount Cottage Home’s recognition with the Blue Ribbon Award is a testament to the relentless grit and hard work of our staff and students over the past six years. This determination has resulted in significant growth for many of our students, often exceeding one year’s worth of progress in a single school year.
These achievements stem from maintaining high expectations and challenging students to practice and master rigorous skills. Year after year, our students and staff overcome obstacles and barriers, consistently delivering exceptional results and strong testing data.
To me, this award reaffirms that the work we do at Paramount is effective and truly in the best interest of our students. I can confidently say that our approach makes a meaningful difference."
3.) What sort of challenges did Cottage Home face that they had to overcome to win this award?
"Over the years, we have faced numerous challenges, starting with the launch of a brand-new school in 2018. Opening a school comes with its own set of obstacles, but from the beginning, we shared a unified goal: to establish ourselves as a high-performing school. Through hard work, shared motivation, and collective effort, we achieved that goal, becoming the highest-scoring school in the state on ILEARN during our first year.
In 2020, like schools around the world, we faced the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift to mandatory eLearning and the uncertainty surrounding the virus impacted student achievement and set us back temporarily. However, since then, our numbers have steadily improved, and the effects of the pandemic on student performance have diminished significantly.
Through the rigor of our system, we continue to help students grow and achieve grade-level mastery, overcoming setbacks and demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity."