For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 28, 2017

16 Illinois public schools receive prestigious 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools award

Selective annual award from U.S. Department of Education recognizes schools for academic excellence

SPRINGFIELD – The U.S. Department of Education today announced the 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools, naming 16 Illinois public elementary, middle, and high schools among recipients of the prestigious award. The diverse Illinois schools from 14 different districts have enrollments ranging from 206 to 3,836 students and from 8 percent to 60 percent eligibility for free or reduced-priced meals.

“Congratulations to the leaders, educators, students, families, and staff at our 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools," said State Superintendent of Education Tony Smith, Ph.D. “I spend a lot of time visiting schools across the state. The creativity, aspiration, and deep care and commitment I see inspires me. These schools have earned this prestigious award, and the State Board is incredibly proud of their efforts."

Illinois' 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools are:

  • Central Intermediate School (Central SD 51)
  • Charles J. Caruso Middle School (Deerfield SD 109)
  • Copeland Manor Elementary School (Libertyville SD 70)
  • H.H. Conrady Junior High School (North Palos SD 117)
  • Kipling Elementary School (Deerfield SD 109)
  • Lemont High School (Lemont Township HSD 210)
  • Mary Morgan Elementary School (Byron CUSD 226)
  • McClure Junior High School (Western Springs SD 101)
  • Neuqua Valley High School (Indian Prairie SD 204)
  • Olive-Mary Stitt School (Arlington Heights SD 25)
  • Poe Elementary Classical School (City of Chicago SD 299)
  • Prairie Elementary School (Kildeer Countryside SD 96)
  • Rogers Elementary School (Waterloo CUSD 5)
  • Romona Elementary School (Wilmette SD 39)
  • Solomon Elementary School (City of Chicago SD 299)
  • Thomas Dooley Elementary School (Schaumburg CCSD 54)

View photographs and brief descriptions of the 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

The U.S. Department of Education began the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program in 1982 to bring public attention to exemplary schools in the United States and to facilitate communication and the sharing of best practices within and among schools. The coveted award affirms the hard work of educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.

All 16 of Illinois’ award-winning schools received the “Exemplary High Performing Schools” designation. To qualify, the schools had to achieve in the top 15 percent of all schools in the state when ranked by student performance on the most recently administered English language arts and math state assessments or by student performance on state assessments in combination with other student performance measures, such as attendance and/or graduation rates. The state may nominate a school only once within a five-year period.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will honor the 2017 National Blue Ribbon Schools at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., Nov. 6-7.

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