Eight public schools in Missouri have been honored as 2016 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. The national award honors schools that perform at high academic levels or that perform at high levels while serving a significant proportion of disadvantaged students.

These are Missouri's Blue Ribbon Schools:

Adrian Elementary, Adrian R-III School District

Chapel Hill Elementary, North Kansas City 74 School District

Fairway Elementary, Rockwood R-VI School District

Harry S Truman Elementary, Webb City R-VII School District

James E. Freer Elementary, Windsor C-1 School District

Lucy Franklin Elementary, Blue Springs R-IV School District

Richland High School, Richland R-I School District

William Yates Elementary, Blue Springs R-IV School District

“Congratulations to the students, teachers, school staff and their communities for this tremendous accomplishment,” said Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “These schools are a model of the progress being made by public schools across our state in preparing students for success.”

Earlier this year, 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 Blue Ribbon program.

“It’s such an honor to be recognized with the Blue Ribbon Award,” said Principal Raylene Walsh of Chapel Hill Elementary. “It validates that all students can learn at high levels when supported by a staff that uses proven instructional practices and values a shared vision and teamwork.  An award such as this not only brings honor to our school and district but also our community.”

Connie Reynolds, principal of Adrian Elementary, agrees. “The awarding of National Blue Ribbon School status to Adrian Elementary is due to a community that wholeheartedly supports our schools, a staff that is truly invested in and dedicated to each and every member of our school community, and students who work hard every day to be the best they can be while supporting others within our school,” she said.  

College and career readiness is a primary goal of the state's Top 10 by 20 initiative, which calls for Missouri to rank as one of the top 10 performing states in education by the year 2020.