Two Schools Receive National Blue Ribbon Award

Two Fremont schools have been deemed National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2011-12 by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

Durham Elementary and Hopkins Junior High schools were among 23 public schools in California that were named national Blue Ribbon Schools, according to a press release from the state Department of Education.

In a statement, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson congratulated the schools for being awarded what he called a “prestigious national honor.”

 “This recognition was made possible by motivated teachers, administrators, and staff supported by involved parents who worked together to provide their students a firm foundation for a lifetime of learning,” Torlakson said.

More from the press release:

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a U.S. Department of Education program. BRSP honors public and private schools from elementary through high 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.

Public schools are nominated by each Chief State School Officer (CSSO), including the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Based on state data, the CSSO must certify that the nominated schools meet one of two eligibility criteria:

• Exemplary High-Performing defined as the achievement of the school’s students in the most recent year tested places the school among the highest -performing schools in the state on state assessments of reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, and disaggregated results for student subgroups, including students from disadvantaged backgrounds, must be similar to the results for all students tested.
• Exemplary-Improving defined as schools that have at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds and have improved student performance to high levels in English-language arts and mathematics on state assessments or assessments referenced against national norms. Disadvantaged means students eligible for free or reduced-priced meals, who receive Title I services, are limited English proficient, migrant, or in need of special services.

Each Blue Ribbon School will be recognized at a national awards ceremony in mid-November in Washington, D.C.

Since its inception 30 years ago, the National Blue Ribbons Program has named nearly 7,000 of the nation’s schools as a National Blue Ribbon School.

For more information, visit National Blue Ribbon Schools. To see California's past winners, please visit the California Department of Education's Web site at Blue Ribbon Schools.

Fremont Unified School District is home to nine National Blue Ribbon Schools, according to its district website.

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