Terrace Community Middle School Receives National Honor

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes outstanding public and non-public schools. In identifying several hundred outstanding schools annually, the program celebrates some of the most skilled and effective educators in the country. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures and research-based indicators of school quality, the Department honors high-performing schools and schools that are making great strides in closing any achievement gaps among student groups.

National Blue Ribbon Schools are honored at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, DC, where each receives a plaque and flag to signify its exemplary status. These schools serve as examples for other schools throughout the nation and details of their achievements are shared on the U.S. Department of Education’s website.

On September 30, US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan designated 337 schools in 47 states as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2014.

Please go here http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/2014-final-report/Press_Release_2014_National_Blue_Ribbon_Schools.pdf

Here are a few facts and figures:

• The number of schools is now 337 from 47 states, U. S. Virgin Islands and DoDEA schools in Germany and Japan

• Of these, 287 are public (traditional, charter, choice, and magnet schools) and 50 private schools

• There are 25 K-12 schools; 239 Elementary Schools, 25 Middle Schools and 48 High Schools

• 289 are being recognized as Exemplary High Performing Schools and 48 are being recognized as Exemplary Gap Closing Schools

Link for more info about TCMS-

http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/awardwinners/14fl159pu_terrace_community_middle_school.html

Link for more information about the National Blue Ribbon Schools program-

http://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/

Background

The National Blue Ribbon School Program was the brainchild of the second Secretary of Education, Terrel H. Bell, named by President Reagan. Best known for commissioning the study of American education that resulted in A Nation at Risk, Bell created the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award in 1982 to bring public attention to the best schools in the United States and to facilitate communication and sharing of best practices within and among schools. The program is supported in this effort through ongoing collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

“Exemplary High Performing” schools have their state’s highest high school graduation rates and the highest achieving students (the top 15%) in English and mathematics, measured by state assessments

“Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing” schools have made the greatest advances (top 15%) in closing subgroup achievement gaps in English and mathematics over the past five years, measured by state assessments

Private schools are recognized as “Exemplary High Performing” if their student achievement in English and mathematics is among the highest in the country (top 15%), measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.