3 Houston Schools Earn Blue Ribbon Honors From U.S. Dept. of Education

HOUSTON, TX — Three schools in Houston received news Thursday they'd been named Blue Ribbon winners by the U.S. Department of Education. Only 26 schools in Texas received the prestigious honor. Eastwood Academy and Lyons Elementary School were named from the Houston ISD, and KIPP Shine Prep from KIPP Houston was the third.

Schools were selected as exemplary high performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Also, each school has an economically disadvantaged population of 25 percent or greater. The schools completed a rigorous application process through the U.S. Department of Education. Schools that receive the award are recognized at the Blue Ribbon School conference in Washington, D.C.

"A commitment to successful student outcomes can be witnessed every day on National Blue Ribbon campuses across Texas," said Commissioner of Education Mike Morath. "I congratulate this year’s Blue Ribbon honorees, which represent the good work taking place in our Texas public schools."

Austin Middle School from the Galveston ISD, Jennie Reid Elementary School from La Porte ISD and Montgomery Intermediate School from Montgomery ISD are three other greater Houston schools that made the statewide list.

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The schools were nominated earlier this year for the honor by the Texas Education Agency. The schools in Texas include the following:

• Amarillo ISD – Whittier Elementary School
• Banquete ISD – Banquete Elementary School
• Birdville ISD – Smithfield Elementary School
• Dallas ISD – Barack Obama Male Leadership Academy
• Dallas ISD – Dallas Environmental Science Academy
• Dallas ISD – Irma Lerma Rangel Women’s Leadership School
• Edinburg CISD – Austin Elementary School
• Edinburg CISD – Jefferson Elementary School
• El Paso ISD – Green Elementary School
• El Paso ISD – Silva Health Magnet
• Galveston ISD – Austin Middle School
• Gunter ISD – Gunter Elementary School
• Houston ISD – Eastwood Academy
• Houston ISD – Lyons Elementary School
• Jim Ned CISD – Lawn Elementary School
• Judson ISD – Crestview Elementary School
• KIPP Houston – KIPP Shine Prep
• La Porte ISD – Jennie Reid Elementary School
• Laredo ISD – Hector J. Garcia Early College High School
• Los Fresnos ISD – Rancho Verde Elementary School
• Montgomery ISD – Montgomery Intermediate School
• Oakwood ISD – Oakwood Elementary School
• San Antonio ISD – Travis Early College High School
• Whitehouse ISD – Stanton-Smith Elementary School
• Wylie ISD (Wylie) – RF Hartman Elementary School
• Ysleta ISD – Valle Verde Early College High School

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