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(Undated) -- Five Iowa schools are among nearly 300-named National Blue Ribbon Schools. The U-S Department of Education honor is based on academic achievement. The schools include: Prairie Trail Elementary in Ankeny, West
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools since its inception more than three decades ago.
The U-S Department of Education recognizes all schools 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 student groups and all students.
The Department invites nominations for the National Blue Ribbon Schools award from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education.