Four Colorado schools win national Blue Ribbon recognition

A large stone, school building outside with a cloudy, blue sky in the background.
DSST: Cedar High School, housed in this building, was one of Colorado four schools named 2024 Blue Ribbon Schools on Monday. (Courtesy of DSST: Cedar Middle & High School)

Four Colorado schools are among more than 350 nationwide to be named 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools for high achievement or progress in narrowing achievement gaps.

Zach Elementary in Fort Collins and DSST Cedar High School in Denver won the designation for achievement on state math and literacy tests. Mesa View Elementary in Grand Junction and Skyview Middle in Pueblo West won for shrinking test score gaps between student subgroups and the overall student body

The U.S. Department of Education announced the Blue Ribbon schools on Monday. Of the four Colorado winners, one is a charter school — DSST Cedar, which is a part of Denver’s largest charter school network. Private schools are eligible for Blue Ribbon designation, but none were among the Colorado recipients this year.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona talked about the significance of the Blue Ribbon Schools designation during a recorded speech on Monday.

“It means that your school is the pride of your community and the model for schools across the nation,” he said.

The first set of Blue Ribbon awards were given out in 1983, and four to six Colorado schools typically win the designations every year. Last year, two schools in the Denver metro area, a school on the Eastern Plains, and a school in Western Colorado earned the awards.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat, covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org.

The Latest

A federal investigation now targets Chicago schools’ long-awaited Black Student Success Plan. State law mandated the Chicago Board of Education create a plan to “bring parity between Black children and their peers.”

Colorado ranks third in the nation, after Washington, D.C. and Vermont, for the share of 4-year-olds served in its state-funded preschool program.

Backers of a proposed religious charter school argue that charter schools are more private than public. The Supreme Court case could upend the charter sector, with implications for funding, autonomy and more.

The Illinois legislative session is scheduled to end on May 31. Lawmakers are considering several education bills and negotiating the fiscal year 2024 budget. Here is what Chalkbeat is following.

Advocates warn that transferring federal special education oversight to another department could weaken enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and other disability rights laws, while jeopardizing funding, research, and implementation.

Some districts invested pandemic relief money in instructional coaches and increased time spent on math. Test scores suggest that strategy’s paying off.