BATON ROUGE – Six Louisiana schools have been recognized as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Blue Ribbon Schools program honors schools that are high-performing or have closed achievement gaps, especially among minority or disadvantaged students.

Schools are recognized in one of the two performance categories:

- Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools are among the state's highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's subgroups and all students over the past five years.

- Exemplary High Performing Schools are among the state's highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates are also at the highest levels.
The following schools were selected as award recipients:

Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools:
Madison Preparatory Academy, East Baton Rouge Parish: Madison Preparatory Academy is a part of the Community School for Apprenticeship Learning Incorporated Charter School Organization in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and prepares students to compete locally, nationally and internationally with strategies that enhance their 21st-century skills.  This environment of achievement thrives in an area plagued by high crime, astounding rates of adult illiteracy, increasing teenage pregnancy cases, and rising high school dropout rates. 

John Clancy/Joseph Maggiore Elementary School, Jefferson Parish: As one of two arts-integrated schools in the Jefferson Parish Public School System, students at John Clancy/ Joseph Maggiore Elementary receive music, visual art, and dance classes at every grade level. An understanding and appreciation for the Fine Arts is integrated into the school's curriculum, creating a unique combination of artistic expression and instruction.

North DeSoto High School, DeSoto Parish: North DeSoto High School provides a variety of courses to meet the needs of all students. In addition to the traditional high school offerings, NDHS offers Advanced Placement and Dual-Enrollment courses, Industrial Certifications in Welding and Business, life skills classes for students in special education, ACT Prep, credit recovery classes, and engineering and biomedical classes through the Project-Lead-The-Way program. 
 

Exemplary High-Performing Schools:

 Avoyelles Public Charter School, Avoyelles Parish: Despite numerous obstacles of residing in a rural parish, Avoyelles Public Charter School graduates ninety percent of its students college ready due to rigorous academic instruction, while being encouraged to excel in the arts and athletics. Students also participate in service projects to inspire them to use their talents to make a positive difference in the world.

 Anacoco High School, Vernon Parish: Anacoco High School (AHS) excels due to quality instruction lead by educators with an average teaching experience of nearly 22 years. AHS faculty provides every child with a rigorous and relevant education that instills the necessary skills to become well-rounded, productive citizens. 

Sixth Ward Middle School, Lafourche Parish: Sixth Ward Middle School promotes a strong bond between the school and the community to create a culture of excellence.  In the past several years, student achievement has grown considerably as result of a clearly defined focus on implementing authentic literacy in every classroom through the incorporation of meaningful reading, evidence-based writing, and rich, academic discussions. 

The schools will be honored on Nov. 7-8 during an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. where each will receive an engraved plaque and flag signifying its status as a 2016 Blue Ribbon School.

For more information on the National Blue Ribbon Schools program click here.