Five Kansas schools have earned designation as 2021 National Blue Ribbon Schools.

According to Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s Office, the five Kansas schools named National Blue Ribbon Schools are:

• El Dorado – Grandview Elementary School, El Dorado Public Schools Unified School District #490.
• Ellsworth – Ellsworth Elementary School, Ellsworth Unified School District 327.
• Hays – Roosevelt Elementary School, Hays Unified School District 489.
• Olathe – Mahaffie Elementary School, Olathe Unified School District 233.
• Sabetha – Sabetha Elementary School, Prairie Hills Unified School District 113.

The Blue Ribbon recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, and affirms the hard work of educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Now in its 39th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools.

The Education Department recognizes all schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates:

• Exemplary High-Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests.
• Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year for the National Blue Ribbon award.