AUSTIN – Commissioner Robert Scott has announced the nomination of 26 Texas public schools for the 2011 Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools whose students achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.
For the past 28 years, this prestigious program has honored more than 5,800 of America’s most successful schools, including almost 500 Texas schools. The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools. The schools are selected based on one of two criteria:
•schools that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests;
•schools whose students achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests.
The nominated schools were recommended by an intra–agency committee that examined student achievement statistics for the more than 8,000 public school and charter campuses in the state. The schools selected have demonstrated success in closing the achievement gap and each school has an economically disadvantaged population of 40 percent or greater.
Schools nominated for the award serve as models of best practices for schools across the state. The nominated schools will now complete a rigorous application process through the U.S. Department of Education. Announcements of the award winners will be made in September 2011. Schools that receive the award are recognized at the Blue Ribbon School conference in Washington, D.C.
The Dallas ISD schools nominated for the Improvement category are:
Dallas Environmental Science Academy: Angela West, principal
Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School: Vivian Taylor, principal
Rosie Sorrells School of Education and Social Services: Tamela Horton, principal
School of Science and Engineering; Jovan Wells, principal
Congratulations to these outstanding world-class schools.
