Golden State Today

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has congratulated 33 California schools selected among the 356 National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2024. This award honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that close achievement and opportunity gaps and where students achieve high learning standards.

“It’s an honor to recognize our exceptional Blue Ribbon Schools, where academic excellence and support for every student truly shine,” Superintendent Thurmond said. “Their commitment to creating an inclusive and outstanding learning environment embodies our mission for education here in California. Their dedication is an inspiration to us all, and we proudly celebrate this remarkable achievement.”

Schools are recognized based on their overall academic performance or progress in closing opportunity gaps among student subgroups. The recognized schools are among the state’s highest performing based on all student scores, subgroup student scores, and graduation rates.

The award affirms the hard work of educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. With its 41st cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to nearly 9,800 schools.

Public schools are nominated by top education officials in each state, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and the Bureau of Indian Education. Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education. More information about the program is available on the U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Schools web page.