Overview
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB)-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private schools that are either high performing or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement.
Each fall, potentially eligible schools are identified and contacted by the California Department of Education for nomination. (See Eligibility and Nomination [http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/br/eligibility.asp]) Names of schools agreeing to be nominated are forwarded to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. The ED invites nominated schools to develop an application. During the winter and spring, the ED considers applications and announces the Blue Ribbon Schools Program nominees in the summer. A ceremony honoring the award recipients takes place in Washington, D.C., in the fall.
