2 NELA schools named as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools

MONROE, La. (KNOE) - Nine Louisiana schools have been named as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, and two NELA schools made the list.

A.E. Phillips Laboratory School in Ruston, La. and Boley Elementary School in West Monroe, La. have made the list. Blue Ribbon Schools are recognized based on the school’s overall academic performance progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups on assessments.

“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. As the Biden-Harris Administration partners with states and schools to accelerate academic success and transform educational opportunity in this country, we take tremendous pride in the achievements of these schools and their commitment to empowering educators, serving students, and engaging families.”

The National Blue Ribbon School award validates the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in striving for outstanding achievement.

All schools named as a Blue Ribbon School are recognized in one of two performance categories:

Exemplary High-Performing Schools: these schools are among their state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments or national normed tests.
Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools: these schools are among their state’s highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.

Nominated schools also complete a narrative application that describes their school’s culture, philosophy, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership structures, and parent and community involvement.