News Release

September 19, 2023

NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON HONORS AWARDED TO FOUR NEBRASKA SCHOOLS

Four Nebraska schools have been named as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The U.S. Department of Education recognized the four Nebraska schools for overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

The Nebraska schools that were honored are:

• Dodge Elementary School, Howells-Dodge Consolidated Schools.
• Reeder Elementary School, Millard Public Schools.
• Bess Streeter Aldrich Elementary School, Millard Public Schools.
• High School and Pender Elementary School, Pender Public Schools.

“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”

“We want to congratulate and celebrate the four Nebraska schools that have earned the Blue Ribbon Schools Award,” said Nebraska Commissioner of Education Brian Maher. “These schools are amazing examples of hard work, focus, and the desire for excellence. They represent diverse groups and populations across our state and provide a model for all of Nebraska.”

The 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.

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).

NOTE TO EDITORS: Photographs and brief descriptions of the 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools are available at https://www.nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/.

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