Six Oklahoma schools receive Blue Ribbon honor

Hulbert Elementary was recognized for its improvement, and the others were recognized for continuously high scores.

This year, 269 schools nationwide received the honor, which was announced Friday morning. About 7,000 schools have been recognized in the past 30 years, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

The designation is a high honor, state schools Superintendent Janet Barresi said Friday.

“It's an outward sign of the excellence of the work going on inside the school,” Barresi said. “It's something those communities can be very proud of.”

Blue Ribbon Schools are first nominated by state departments of education. The application is a detailed look at a school and its philosophies, Waurika Elementary Principal Cody Simmons said.

Administrators report demographics, curriculum, testing and an array of other information, Simmons said. Applications are due in April, and then federal officials wait for the annual test scores to come in during the summer.