Four Iowa Schools Named 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools

Four Iowa schools are among 337 schools nationwide named 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools for their overall academic excellence or for their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups: 

• Northeast Elementary School (Ankeny Community School District) 
• Gilbert High School (Gilbert Community School District) 
• South Central Calhoun Elementary School (South Central Calhoun Community School District) 
• West Cedar Elementary School (Waverly-Shell Rock Community School District) 

The U.S. Department of Education will honor 287 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony on Nov. 10-11 in Washington, D.C. 

“Iowa’s Blue Ribbon Schools exemplify our state’s hard work to improve and to make sure every door of opportunity is open to all students,” Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck said. 

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools where students perform at very high levels or where significant improvements are made in students’ levels of achievement. Since 1982, nearly 7,900 schools in the U.S. have received the coveted award. Read more about the 2014 National Blue Ribbon Schools at http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html.