Two Chicago Public Schools were named Blue Ribbon Schools today by the U.S. Department of Education.
Northside College Prep High School, one of the most competitive schools in the city with rigorous admissions requirements, and Audubon Elementary School, a neighborhood school in Roscoe Village, joined 17 other schools across the state this year to be named 2011 National Blue Ribbon Schools.
Schools are honored because of their academic gains, especially in student achievement and in closing the gap among minority and disadvantaged students. Northside, 5501 N. Kedzie, and Audubon, 3500 N. Hoyne, will be honored at a ceremony later this year in Washington D.C. Altogether, 305 schools across the nation got the honor this year.
“Recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School provides a great example of the kind of school we want to bring to every neighborhood in Chicago, to ensure that every student has access to world-class education,” said CEO of Chicago Public Schools Jean-Claude Brizard in a press release.
Other CPS schools named as Blue Ribbon winners in prior years include Leland Elementary School in 2004, Jones College Prep High School in 2006, Greeley Elementary School in 2007, Black Magnet School in 2008, Payton College Prep High School in 2008, Whitney Young High School in 2009 and Jackson Magnet Language Academy in 2010.
Schools are nominated by a state’s chief education officer. Schools are then invited to submit applications. Schools are selected based on the high performance of their students—regardless of background–on state assessment tests. The department of education is looking for schools with at least 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds whose scores are improved to high levels.
