SAUSD’s Carl Harvey Elementary School achieves ‘National Blue Ribbon’ Status

SANTA ANA, CA — September 9, 2010 – Santa Ana Unified School District’s (SAUSD) Carl Harvey Elementary School has been selected as a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today named Carl Harvey Elementary as one of 304 elite schools to achieve this status, out of more than 120,000 public and private schools nationwide.

This top award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior, or have made dramatic gains in student achievement and helped close gaps in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students. With an Academic Performance Index above 800, Carl Harvey Elementary School is a 2009-10 California Distinguished School as well as a Title I Achieving School for the past two years.

Each year since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has identified schools where students attain and maintain high academic achievement. The Blue Ribbon School Program honors public and private schools based on one of two criteria: 1) Schools whose students, regardless of backgrounds, are high performing. These are schools ranked among the State’s highest performing schools as measured by their performance on State assessments in English Language Acquisition (ELA) and mathematics; and 2) Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that improve student performance to high levels as measured by the school’s performance on State assessments or Nationally-normed tests.

“Our nation has a responsibility to help all children realize their full potential,” Duncan said. “Schools honored with the Blue Ribbon Schools award are committed to achievement and to ensuring that students learn and succeed. Their work reflects the conviction that every child has promise and must receive a quality education.”

An awards ceremony honoring the schools will be held on November 15-16 in Washington, D.C. In the past 28 years, more than 6,000 of America’s schools have received this coveted award, including SAUSD’s Middle College High School in 2009. For more information about Carl Harvey Elementary School log on to http://www.sausd.us/.

U.S. Department of Education, Blue Ribbon Schools Program http://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html

BRS Program Fact Sheet – 2010

BRS Program Background – 2010