Governor Moore Reinstates Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program to Honor Educational Excellence

Governor Wes Moore has announced the revival of the Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program, an initiative designed to celebrate and acknowledge outstanding educational institutions across the state. This program was previously active until the 2019-2020 academic year and has been reintroduced following the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to discontinue its long-standing National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The reinstated state program will be a collaborative effort involving the Maryland State Department of Education, the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and the Archdiocese of Washington.

Schools will be considered for this prestigious recognition based on several criteria, including their students’ academic performance on both national and state assessments. A key element of the evaluation will also be the schools’ demonstrated success in reducing achievement gaps between different student populations when compared to the state average. The original National Blue Ribbon Schools program, established in 1982, was the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizing public and private elementary, middle, and high schools for either exemplary high performance or for closing student achievement gaps.

The inaugural cohort of the 2025-2026 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools includes seven institutions that had been nominated for the now-defunct National Blue Ribbon recognition. These schools are Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in Baltimore City Public Schools, Diamond Elementary School and Wilson Wims Elementary School in Montgomery County Public Schools, Myersville Elementary School in Frederick County Public Schools, and Stoneleigh Elementary School in Baltimore County Public Schools. Additionally, St. Louis School, representing the Archdiocese of Baltimore, and Little Flower School, part of the Archdiocese of Washington, have also received this honor.

Three of these schools, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Little Flower, and St. Louis School, were recognized specifically for their exemplary high-performing status, demonstrated by outstanding academic results on national and state assessments. Wilson Wims Elementary School received distinction in the exemplary achievement gap closing category for its work in narrowing performance disparities among its student body. Diamond Elementary, Myersville Elementary, and Stoneleigh Elementary were honored in both the exemplary high-performing and exemplary achievement gap closing categories. All seven schools are scheduled to be formally recognized in November at a meeting of the State Board of Education and again in the spring of next year by the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates in Annapolis. Each school will receive a Maryland Blue Ribbon School banner, flag, and official award citations.

This initiative by Governor Moore signifies a commitment to continuing the tradition of recognizing educational excellence within Maryland, even as the national program ceases. The collaboration with the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Archdiocese of Washington underscores a unified approach to celebrating schools that excel in fostering learning and student development. It is anticipated that eligibility guidelines and application timelines for the 2026-2027 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program will be released later this year, providing an opportunity for both public and private schools to seek this recognition.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Office of Governor Wes Moore

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