Sandburg Middle School Earns National Blue Ribbon Award for Exemplary Performance

Sandburg Middle School in Elmhurst was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School Tuesday by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Sandburg was among 286 schools recognized nationally. The Blue Ribbon program recognizes schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in improving student academic achievement. 

Sandburg is one of just three exemplary, high-performing middle schools honored in Illinois. The school also was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2007.

Lincoln Elementary School and Bryan Middle School were named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2012.

The Department of Education will honor the 236 public and 50 private schools at a recognition ceremony Nov. 18 and 19 in Washington, D.C. 

“Excellence in education matters and we should honor the schools that are leading the way to prepare students for success in college and careers,” Duncan said. “National Blue Ribbon schools represent examples of educational excellence, and their work reflects the belief that every child in America deserves a world-class education.”  

The National Blue Ribbon Schools program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools in one of two performance categories: Exemplary High Performing, for a state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally-normed tests, and Exemplary Improving, for schools with at least 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate the most improved student achievement as measured by state assessments or nationally-normed tests.

The U.S. Department of Education requested nominations from top education officials in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. The Council for American Private Education (CAPE) nominates private schools. A total of 420 schools nationwide may be nominated, with allocations determined by the numbers of K-12 students and schools in each jurisdiction. The Secretary of Education invites nominated schools to submit an application for possible recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School.

 A list of the 2013 National Blue Ribbon Schools is posted on the U.S. Department of Education website.

Source: Elmhurst Unit District 205