Established in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program aims to improve education by identifying schools that are models of excellence and equity, making research-based, self-assessment criteria available to schools and encouraging schools to share information about their best practices.
It recognizes elementary schools and secondary schools in alternate years.
Schools are selected based on nominations from state education agencies and evaluations by a national review panel. Since the program’s inception, 3,800 schools — including 10 Jewish day schools — have been honored.
There are approximately 800 Jewish day schools in the United States offering a dual curriculum of Judaic and secular studies.