4 Arizona schools named as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools
Sep 21, 2023, 4:15 AM
Four schools in Arizona were recently recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023 by the U.S. Department of Education. (Facebook photos/Neely Traditional Academy, Fireside Elementary School, Senita Valley Elementary School (bottom left) and Sunrise Drive Elementary School (top right))
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PHOENIX — Four schools in Arizona were recently recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023 by the U.S. Department of Education.
In Maricopa County, two schools received the exemplary high-performing schools honor; Neely Traditional Academy in Gilbert and Fireside Elementary School in Phoenix.
In Tucson, Senita Valley Elementary School and Sunrise Drive Elementary School also received the same award.
“These schools can be justifiably proud of this accomplishment because it is based on academic excellence,” Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said in a press release.
“My top priority as a superintendent is for continuous improvement in academic achievement, and Blue Ribbon Schools demonstrate that when schools lead students into challenging themselves, they will soar academically.”
What qualifies a school for the first-class National Blue Ribbon honors?
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This year, only 353 educational institutions were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
While the schools were spread out across the nation, all of the awardees demonstrated innovative and effective learning and teaching, while also supporting staff through meaningful professional learning, the U.S. Department of Education said in the release.
Further, the schools serve as models of innovative and effective practices for educators in the state and nation.
Schools received awards — exemplary high performing schools and exemplary achievement gap closing schools — based on student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates.
“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools award have set a national example for what it means to ‘raise the bar’ in education,” U.S. Sec. of Education Miguel Cardona said in a press release.
“The leaders, educators and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.”
Up to 420 schools can be nominated each year.
