Missouri’s eight 2024 Gold Star Schools have also been recognized as U.S. Department of Education (USED) National Blue Ribbon Schools. The National Blue Ribbon Schools program recognizes individual schools for either their outstanding academic achievement (top 15 percent in the state based on English and mathematics assessment scores and graduation rates) or their performance at high academic levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students.

Missouri’s 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools:

• Bristol Elementary School, Webster Groves School District
• Meramec Elementary School, Clayton School District
• Metro Academic and Classical High School, St. Louis Public School District
• Oakwood Elementary School, Hannibal 60 School District
• Ralph M. Captain Elementary School, Clayton School District
• Richland Elementary School, Richland R-I School District
• Voy Spears, Jr. Elementary School, Blue Springs R-IV School District
• William Yates Elementary School, Blue Springs R-IV School District

“Congratulations to the students, teachers, and staff members at each of these schools for this extraordinary accomplishment,” said Commissioner of Education Karla Eslinger. “These schools go above and beyond to provide the best education possible for their students. We appreciate their commitment and commend them for a job well done.”

In May, these eight schools were honored as Missouri Gold Star Schools, a program established by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in 1991. They were then nominated for the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, which shares the same nomination criteria as the Gold Star Schools award. To date, more than 9,000 schools across the country have been presented with this coveted U.S. Department of Education award.

The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools award ceremony will be held November 7 and 8 in Washington, DC. Photographs and brief descriptions of all 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are available from USED here.