Sep 20, 2023

Congratulations to 23 Charter Schools Honored as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools

The U.S. Department of Education recognized 353 schools as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, 23 of which are public charter schools.

For Immediate Release
September 20, 2023

Alanna Klein
[email protected]

 

Congratulations to 23 Charter Schools Honored as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools

 

The U.S. Department of Education recognized 353 schools as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools, 23 of which are public charter schools. According to the U.S. Department of Education, “The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments.” There are two performance categories: Exemplary High-Performing Schools and Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools.  

Congratulations to all 353 schools, and especially the 23 public charter schools, that earned this year’s National Blue Ribbon recognition,” said Nina Rees, President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. “The purpose of introducing charter schools to the public education system more than 30 years ago was to close achievement gaps by providing a high-quality, public education to all students, especially those who have been historically underserved. The Blue Ribbon honor is a testament to the hard work and dedication of charter school leaders, teachers, families, and students across the US.” 

The following charter schools were recognized as 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools: 

  • Fronteras Charter School in Wasilla, Alaska 
  • Peabody Charter School in Santa Barbara, California 
  • San Jose Charter Academy in West Covina, California 
  • Sixth Street Prep in Victorville, California 
  • Parker Core Knowledge Charter School K-8 in Parker, Colorado 
  • Stamford Charter School for Excellence in Stamford, Connecticut* 
  • Roots Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.* 
  • Washington Global Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.* 
  • Alachua Learning Academy in Alachua, Florida 
  • Doral Academy of Technology Charter Middle School in Doral, Florida 
  • Hollywood Academy of Arts and Science in Hollywood, Florida 
  • St. Petersburg Collegiate High School in St. Petersburg, Florida 
  • The Children’s Reading Center in Palatka, Florida 
  • Robert A. Cross Middle School in Albany, Georgia 
  • Benjamin Banneker Charter Public School in Cambridge, Massachusetts 
  • Sturgis Charter Public Schools in Hyannis, Massachusetts 
  • Nova Classical Academy Upper School in Saint Paul, Minnesota* 
  • Princeton Charter School in Princeton, New Jersey 
  • Bronx Charter School for Excellence 2 in Bronx, New York 
  • Greensboro Academy in Greensboro, North Carolina 
  • Houston Gateway Academy Inc Elite College Prep in Houston, Texas 
  • IDEA Carver Academy in San Antonio, Texas* 

*Denotes a school recognized as an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School. All others are Exemplary-High Performing Schools.  

“The honorees for our 2023 National Blue Ribbon Schools Award have set a national example for what it means to Raise the Bar in education,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “The leaders, educators, and staff at our National Blue Ribbon Schools continually inspire me with their dedication to fostering academic excellence and building positive school cultures that support students of all backgrounds to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.” 

About Public Charter Schools
Public charter schools are independent, public, and tuition-free schools that are given the freedom to be more innovative while being held accountable for advancing student achievement. Since 2010, many research studies have found that students in charter schools do better in school than their traditional school peers. For example, one study by the Center for Research on Education Outcomes at Stanford University found that charter schools do a better job teaching students from low-income families, students of color, and students who are still learning English than traditional schools. Separate studies by the Center on Reinventing Public Education and Mathematica Policy Research have found that charter school students are more likely to graduate from high school, go on to college, stay in college and have higher earnings in early adulthood.

About the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the public charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector. For more information, please visit www.publiccharters.org.

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