STATEHOUSE- State Representative Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville) congratulates Laura G. Childs Elementary School for being recognized as a 2013 National Blue Ribbon School. U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, announced 286 schools as the 2013 cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools, based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in improving student academic achievement.
Public and private elementary, middle and high schools are eligible to receive the National Blue Ribbon award. Since the program began 31 years ago, nearly 7,500 schools have received this sought-after recognition.
“Of the 286 schools recognized, Indiana was home to 12 of those schools, and I am so delighted that Childs Elementary was one of them,” said Rep. Mayfield. “The students, parents and faculty should be very proud of all of their hard work in earning this deserved accomplishment.”
There are two criteria for which schools are recognized: exemplary high performance and exemplary improvement. In order to be considered ‘exemplary high performing,’ the school must be ranked among their state’s highest performing institutions based on results of state assessments and/or national-normed tests. The designation of ‘exemplary improving’ is also based on results from these tests. To receive this title, a school must have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds demonstrate the most progress in improving student achievement levels.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the top education officials from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education are asked to submit nomination requests each year. Throughout the country, a total of 420 schools can be nominated. Once nominated, the U.S. Secretary of Education invites these schools to submit an application for possible recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School.
“Childs Elementary, which is part of the Monroe County Community School Corporation, will be honored by the Department at a ceremony in Washington D.C., November 18-19,” said Rep. Mayfield. “I want to congratulate Principal Chris Finley on bringing such a wonderful honor to Monroe County, and I am confident that these students will continue to aim high and see academic success in the school years to come.”
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