JIM HORNE

SECRETARY

F. PHILIP HANDY

CHAIRMAN

LINDA J. EADS, Ed. D.

T. WILLARD FAIR

CHARLES PATRICK GARCÍA

JULIA L. JOHNSON

WILLIAM L. PROCTOR, Ph.D

CAROLYN KING ROBERTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHARLIE CRIST

COMMISSIONER

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT

OF EDUCATION

 

325 W. GAINES STREET

SUITE 1614

TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399

www.flboe.org

(850) 201-7400

FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUCATION

September 20, 2002

  

CONTACT PERSON

 

 

NAME:

Marv Patterson

 

PHONE:

(850) 922-6291

 

SUNCOM:

292-6291

 

EMAIL

:Marv.Patterson@FLDOE.ORG

 

 

DPS: 03-033

M E M O R A N D U M

 

TO:

  

District School Superintendents

 

FROM:

Kathy Mizereck

 

  

Deputy Chancellor for Student Achievement and Articulation

 

SUBJECT:

 

2002-2003 Blue Ribbon Schools Program

 

The Department of Education, in cooperation with the USDOE, has been

disseminating information about the Blue Ribbon Schools Program since 1982.

More than 100 Florida public schools have received Blue Ribbon Recognition

over the past 20 years.

 

This year the US Department of Education has strengthened the recognition

program and aligned it to the tenets of the No Child Left Behind Act. The new

program will recognize schools that have at least 40 percent of their students

from disadvantaged backgrounds and that dramatically improve student

performance in accordance with state assessment systems. It will also

recognize schools that score in the top 10 percent of state assessments. This

year states have been directed to nominate schools which meet the criteria

prior to schools com

pleting the application forms. At least 50 percent of the

schools must meet the first criterion of having 40 percent of the students from

disadvantaged backgrounds and showing dramatic improvement. Under the

new program, both elementary and secondary schools may be recognized

annually.

After receiving nominations from the states, the USDOE Secretary will send

letters and applications to the schools inviting the schools to apply for the

national Blue Ribbon Award. Past recipients have been recognized in a

special ceremony in Washington, DC.

 

Information about new the Blue Ribbon program is available at

http://www.nclb.gov/media/news/072802.html. A list of Florida Blue

Ribbon Schools is accessible at

http://osi.fsu.edu/waveseries/ref/bluerib.htm.

 

KM/mdp

 

cc: School Improvement Contacts

 

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