National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program was a United States Department of Education (DoEd) award program that recognized exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, the Department honored high-performing schools and schools that were making great strides in closing any achievement gaps between students. The program was supported through ongoing collaboration with the National Association of Elementary School Principals, Association for Middle Level Education, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.

The program was founded in 1982 under the presidency of Ronald Reagan and the award has been presented to more than 9,000 schools. The program represented the full diversity of American schools: public schools including Title I schools, charter schools, magnet schools, and non-public schools including parochial and independent schools. The schools are urban, suburban, and rural, large and small, traditional and innovative, and serve students of every social, economic, and ethnic background.

The program was discontinued by President Donald Trump on August 29, 2025. A spokesperson from the Department of Education wrote that this decision was made "in the spirit of Returning Education to the States."