Since 1982 the Blue Ribbon Schools Program has celebrated many of America's most successful schools.

A Blue Ribbon flag waving overhead has become a trademark of excellence, a symbol of quality recognized by everyone from parents to policy-makers in thousands of communities. The emerging secret of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program is its power to stimulate and focus school improvement initiatives. "Regardless of the direction you're going with in school improvement, the Blue Ribbon program gives you a vehicle to get on track. It gives you a framework and standards so you know where you stand," says one principal. 

Schools are finding that the richness and scope of the Blue Ribbon nomination process allows them to reflect, "not just on the surface level, but down deep." One educator says, "If you want a tool for school improvement, there's nothing out there better than the Blue Ribbon Schools Program. It's the best you can find."

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program promotes and supports the improvement of education in America by:

• identifying and recognizing schools that are models of excellence and equity, schools that demonstrate a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students, and that achieve high academic standards or have shown significant academic improvement over five years,
  
  

• making research based, self-assessment criteria available to schools looking for a way to reflect on how they are doing,
  
  

• encouraging schools, both within and among themselves, to share information about best practices which is based on a shared understanding of the standards which demonstrate educational success.

The Blue Ribbon Program has something to offer every school.

• For the school that has reached a high level of success, the program offers a way to acknowledge the achievements of the school and reflect on areas of potential improvement for the future. It is a way to celebrate the hard work of students, staff members, families, and the community and to build awareness in the broader community of the school's excellence.
  
  

• For the school that aspires to win the Blue Ribbon Award in three or four years, the program, through its nomination package, offers the most comprehensive framework for identifying areas that need improvement. The Blue Ribbon process can sharpen and invigorate a promising school's improvement initiative.
  
  

• For the school trying to get a school improvement process off the ground, the Blue Ribbon nomination package offers a challenging place to begin. It immerses the school in a climate of deep assessment through data collection, discussion, and problem solving. It also gives a positive starting point by providing access to successful Blue Ribbon schools that are willing to share information about what works for them.
  
  

• And for all schools, the Blue Ribbon program re-energizes the school community, bringing a sense of pride, confidence, focus, and shared agenda for change and improvement.