Congratulations to Milano Elementary School for being named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon Award School

Posted Date: 09/19/2023

Congratulations to Milano Elementary School for being named a  2023 National Blue Ribbon Award School! This award exemplifies the hard work, dedication, and heart that lives in the hallways and classrooms of MES everyday!  It is with great pride that we honor our campus teachers, staff, students and administration for their commitment to excellence and never ceasing grit in providing an exceptional educational environment for all students! Please join us in congratulating MES for this prestigious award!  #2023NationalBlueRibbonSchool #WeAreMES

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Sept. 19, 2023
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U.S. Department of Education Announces 2023 Blue Ribbon Schools
The U.S. Department of Education today recognized 353 schools 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 groups on assessments.
“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. As the Biden-Harris Administration partners with states and schools to accelerate
academic success and transform educational opportunity in this country, we take tremendous
pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators,
serving students, and engaging families.”
With its 40th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately
10,000 awards to more than 9,700 schools. The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms and
validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for – and
attaining – exemplary achievement. National Blue Ribbon Schools represent the full diversity of
American schools and serve students of every background.
While awardee schools represent the diverse fabric of American schools, they also share some
core elements. National Blue Ribbon School leaders articulate a vision of excellence and hold
everyone to high standards. They demonstrate effective and innovative teaching and learning,
and the schools value and support teachers and staff through meaningful professional learning.
Data from many sources are used to drive instruction and every student strives for success.
Families, communities, and educators work together toward common goals.
National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective and innovative school practices for
state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon
School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of
exemplary teaching and learning.
The Department recognizes all schools 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 student groups and
all students. Nominated schools also complete an extensive narrative application
describing their school culture and philosophy, curriculum, assessments, instructional
practices, professional development, leadership structures, and parent and community
involvement.
Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites nominations for the
National Blue Ribbon Schools award from the top education official in all states, the District of
Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of
Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private
Education.
NOTE TO EDITORS: Photographs and brief descriptions of the 2023 National Blue Ribbon
Schools are available at https://www.nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/.