The U.S. Department of Education (National) Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.

This coveted award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 8,800 schools.

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 (CAPE).

Congratulations to the Current Blue Ribbon School Winners

National Awardees – 2023

Olive B. Loss Elementary School
Appoquinimink School District

Thurgood Marshall Elementary School
Christina School District

Lord Baltimore Elementary School
Indian River School District

National Blue Ribbon School Awardees from Delaware (past 2 years)

Award Year Awardee District/Charter
2022 North Dover Elementary School Colonial School District
2022 Cab Calloway School of the Arts Red Clay Consolidated School District
2022 Linden Hill Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District
2021 North Star Elementary School Red Clay Consolidated School District
2021 Rehoboth Elementary School Cape Henlopen School District
2021 Southern Delaware School of the Arts Indian River School District

Award Year Awardee District/Charter
2020 Frederick Douglass Elementary School Seaford School District
2020 Allen Frear Elementary School Caesar Rodney School District
2020 Etta J. Wilson Elementary School Christina School District

Contact Information

For additional information regarding Blue Ribbon Schools please email Philip Keefer or call (302) 735-41010.