Updated at 7:17 a.m., Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Hawaii Blue Ribbon Schools announced
Advertiser Staff
Aina Haina Elementary, Ala Wai Elementary and Holualoa Elementary have been named Hawai'i's Distinguished Schools by the Hawai'i State Department of Education and will represent Hawai'i in the 2007-2008 national No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program.The schools were honored Feb. 1 at the Hawai'i Distinguished Schools Program awards ceremony at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort & Spa.
The Hawai'i Distinguished Schools Program honors elementary and secondary schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at the highest levels, a DOE news release explained.
The three selected schools are Hawai'i's nominees to the national No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The three schools have shown dramatic improvement in test scores to high levels or those that are achieving in the top 10 percent of schools in the state in both reading and mathematics. At least one-third of the schools must have 40 percent or more of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The 2008 national winners of the No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools will be announced in November 2008.
Last year, Moanalua Elementary, Kawananakoa Middle and Waikiki Elementary schools were named the 2006-2007 Hawai'i Distinguished Schools. In addition, Kawananakoa Middle and Waikiki Elementary schools were recognized as national No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools.
Since 1988, 47 Hawai'i public schools have been nominated to the national level of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program of which 32 were named National Blue Ribbon Schools.
