Maryland revives Blue Ribbon Schools program, 7 schools awarded
Governor Wes Moore announced Wednesday the creation of a new Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program to recognize exemplary schools after the federal government discontinued its long-running national program in August.
The new state program will honor seven schools that were nominated for national recognition before the U.S. Department of Education ended the national Blue Ribbon Schools Program, the governor's office said.
Maryland previously operated a state-level program that ended after the 2019-2020 school year.
"While the federal government steps away from its obligations to our students, Maryland is stepping up," Moore said. "We are proud to elevate and honor these exceptional institutions of learning, which are inspiring the next generation to work and lead."
Which schools received recognition?
The 2025-2026 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools are Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Diamond Elementary School, Myersville Elementary School, Stoneleigh Elementary School, Wilson Wims Elementary School, St. Louis School and Little Flower School.
This year Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Little Flower and St. Louis were recognized in the category of "Exemplary High Performance," based on academic results from national and state assessments. Wilson Wims Elementary was recognized in the category of "Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing," narrowing performance disparities between different student groups.
Diamond, Myersville and Stoneleigh were recognized in both categories.
How will the new program work?
The Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program will operate collaboratively with the Maryland State Department of Education, Archdiocese of Baltimore and Archdiocese of Washington.
The governor's office said schools are considered for Blue Ribbon distinction based on their students' performance on national and state assessments, in addition to their work to narrow performance disparities between different student groups compared to the state average.
All awarded schools will be formally honored in November at the State Board of Education meeting and next spring by the State Senate and House of Delegates in Annapolis. The schools will also receive a Maryland Blue Ribbon School banner, flag and award citations.
Eligibility guidelines and the application timeline for the 2026-2027 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools Program will be released later this year to public and private schools.
What was the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program?
The National Blue Ribbon Schools program was the highest honor bestowed upon schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Established in 1982, the award recognized public and private elementary, middle and high schools for academic performance or progress in closing student achievement gaps.
Approximately 180 Maryland public schools received National Blue Ribbon Schools honors before the program ended, according to the governor. Twenty-five schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore have received the award and schools in the Archdiocese of Washington have received the designation more than 50 times.