Staunton Elementary in Clay County has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School, one of seven from Indiana.
It is an elementary school in the Clay Community School Corp.
The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The U.S. Department of Education made the announcement Monday. Staunton was nominated for "exemplary, high-performing schools."
Now in its 36th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 8,800 schools. On Nov. 7 and 8, the Secretary and the Department of Education will celebrate with all honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
All schools are honored in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:
• Exemplary High Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
• Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years.
Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by The Council for American Private Education.
Other Indiana schools recognized are Cascade Senior High School, Clayton; George Bibich Elementary School, Dyer; Paramount School of Excellence, Indianapolis [a charter school]; Reagan Elementary School, Brownsburg; Solon Robinson Elementary School, Crown Point; Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Valparaiso/Crown Point
Tuesday at 10 a.m., in the Indiana Statehouse north atrium, state Superintendent of Schools Jennifer McCormick will honor Indiana’s 2018 Blue Ribbon Schools.
“I am grateful for our dedicated educators who challenge students to reach their full potential, and I want to congratulate Indiana’s Blue Ribbon Schools for performing at the highest level," she said.
Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools. The Blue Ribbon program is part of a larger national effort to identify and share knowledge about best school leadership and teaching practices.
In November, USDOE will hold a reception in the nation’s capital to formally recognize the awarded schools.
