Six Iowa Schools Named National Blue Ribbon Schools; Johnston’s Summit Middle School Honored

Six Iowa schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.   

The schools are: 

• Center Point-Urbana High School, Center Point-Urbana Community School District 
• Hospers Elementary School, MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District 
• Resurrection Elementary School (Dubuque), Holy Family Catholic Schools 
• Sergeant Bluff-Luton Senior High School, Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District 
• Summit Middle School, Johnston Community School District 
• Tilford Elementary School, Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District 

“Blue Ribbon schools take a holistic approach to education, and this is critical to ensuring the success of their students in and beyond school,” Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise said.   

The coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.    

Now in its 36th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 8,800 schools. On November 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 (CAPE).