West Chester East HS Wins National Blue Ribbon Designation

WEST CHESTER, PA — West Chester East High School has been named among the nation's most distinguished schools, earning a National Blue Ribbon School designation for 2017, the U.S. Department of Education announced.

According to the Department of Education, the honors are based on all student scores on state assessments or national tests. The state’s top-testing schools are considered exemplary high performing schools, while 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.

West Chester East was recognized for the high performing category.

"West Chester East is honored by this recognition as a National Blue Ribbon award winner," East High School Principal Dr. Kevin Fagan said in a statement Friday. "We consider this as an acknowledgment of the work, dedication, and love of our students, staff, and parents K-12. East will continue in its mission to always improve for the betterment of our community and in the interests of our students. Thank you to the many individuals and families that help support our school."

Nationwide, 342 schools were recognized for the award, which has been given annually since 1982. A total of 18 of those schools were in Pennsylvania, and nine of them were in the Philadelphia area.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. Private schools are nominated by The Council for American Private Education, while the Department of Education invites 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 to submit nominees.

Patch file photo