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Each year, the U.S. Department of Education recognizes hundreds of public and private schools across the country for their commitment to educational excellence and their ability to overcome outstanding odds to properly educate their students. These schools receive the National Blue Ribbon of Distinction, an award reserved for schools that boast students who meet and maintain high educational goals. The Blue Ribbon Award celebrates the idea that all students, regardless of background, ability, or location, deserve an excellent education. The current winners are listed on the .

What is a National Blue Ribbon of Distinction?

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private K-12 schools that are either academically superior in their state or that demonstrate dramatic gains in student achievement. Source: ,

Schools at all levels – elementary, middle, and high schools – are eligible for the award. Each school that is given the honor of a Blue Ribbon Award shares several key characteristics: they have administrators and teachers who are dedicated to high standards of learning for all students, they engage in data collection and analysis to determine the efficacy of instruction and assessment, they have students who demonstrate academic excellence, and they undertake professional development to stay at the forefront of best practices.

The award has been given out since 1982, evaluating student achievement with measurable characteristics that help identify not only the high achievers but also those schools

When picking classes for the next school year, parents often fret over whether their kids should dive into honors courses. These classes offer more challenges, but do they mean sacrificing top grades? It's a dilemma: better marks or tougher academics? With honors courses demanding extra effort, it's a tough call. So, here are some insights from school and college pros that can help students navigate this critical decision.

Honors vs. General: What's the Big Difference?

While each state and school community has curriculum standards, most honors and general courses adhere to similar philosophical practices. For example, , one of the largest school systems in North Carolina, divides its high school courses into "honors" and "academic" (average) tracks. In examining the differences in Wake County Schools' 9^th grade English course options, parents and students can discuss the similarities and differences between the honors and academic options.

• Honors 9^th Grade English: Students in both honors and academics must read specific texts from a county-wide reading list. An honors course, however, will generally read more texts than an academic course, as the honors course is conducted at a much faster pace. To work more rapidly through diverse materials, honors students will undoubtedly be assigned more homework than an academic class. Additionally, suppose a student in an honors course falls behind or is struggling. In that case, the student must typically seek out tutoring assistance during their own time (during lunch, before/after school, etc.), as

Changing schools and moving can be stressful events, even if the entire family is excited about the move. The purpose of this article is to give you a checklist of all the things you may need to think about as you orchestrate your move and what you may need to do when changing schools. We have set up the list of things to do along with a timeline, to mirror your own busy schedule as you get your household and school paperwork in order.

As soon as you decide to move

• Changing Schools?
  • Research the schools. The difference between a top rated school and a school that lags behind its peers could be as simple as living on one side of the school boundary. Also, if your child has special needs or unique goals (i.e. they had been in a foreign language immersion program), you will need to find out what is available where you are moving to.
  • Start early. Even public schools may have waiting lists if they are charter or target schools.
  • Found out if there are any extra-curricular activities that require early enrollment or may involve practice over the summer before the school year starts.
  • Enroll your children in their new schools. Make sure you've filled out all the required paperwork and have all the necessary doctors' forms, immunization records, etc. so that the kids can start on Day One.
  • Get a copy of your children's current coursework so that the new school can get a better idea of where