Wisconsin Schools Nominated To Receive National Award

From the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction:

February 6, 2020

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction today nominated eight public schools for national recognition for academic excellence and making strides toward closing achievement gaps.

The schools were selected for the U.S. Department of Education’s 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, which recognizes top-performing schools based on academic performance and achievement. Since starting in 1982, the national program has recognized more than 9,000 schools.

“We are nominating these eight schools for the National Blue Ribbon School award because they serve as great examples of our progression toward improving student outcomes across the state,” State Superintendent Carolyn Stanford Taylor said. “I wish these schools and their respective communities well in the next steps of this prestigious national program.”

The eight public schools nominated for Wisconsin are:

• Maple Dale Elementary School, Maple Dale-Indian Hill School District
• Lake Delton Elementary School, School District of Wisconsin Dells
• Altoona Intermediate School, School District of Altoona
• Nicolet Elementary School, Menasha Joint School District
• Lake Superior Elementary School, School District of Superior
• Red Apple Elementary School, Racine Unified School District
• Luther Elementary School, South Milwaukee School District
• Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, Wausau School District

Next, schools must complete the National Blue Ribbon Schools application and undergo a review. The awards are presented to schools identified into one or both of the following categories: 1) “Exemplary High Performing Schools” that score in the top 15 percent on state assessments; and 2) “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools” that score in the top 15 percent on the “Closing Gaps” priority area of Wisconsin’s school report cards. The national award winners will be announced in September 2020.

This press release was produced by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The views expressed here are the author’s own.