U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member of the Agriculture, Energy and Veterans Affairs Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

September 23, 2005

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Press Secretary

                        202-228-3630

Jen Clanahan – Deputy Press Secretary

                        303-455-7600

 

Sen. Salazar Congratulates Blue Ribbon Schools

Denver, CO – U.S. Senator Ken Salazar congratulates Abrams Elementary School in Fort Carson, Bradford Elementary School in Pueblo, Liberty Common School in Fort Collins and Maple Grove Elementary School in Golden for progress made and work done to achieve their goal to better our children’s education. U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today that four schools in Colorado have been named Blue Ribbon Schools of 2005 as part of the No Child Left Behind program that recognizes schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at very high levels.

The press release from the Department of Education is included below.

U.S. Department of Education
Office of Communications & Outreach, Press Office
400 Maryland Ave., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202

FOR RELEASE

Friday, Sept. 23, 2005
Contacts: Jim Bradshaw
Samara Yudof
(202) 401-1576

COLORADO SCHOOLS NAMED NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS

Schools across the nation show improvement under No Child Left Behind

Four schools in Colorado have been named No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools of 2005, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings announced today. The following schools in Colorado will receive an award certificate as part of the Blue Ribbon Schools program for the progress they have made under No Child Left Behind:

-- Abrams Elementary School, Fort Carson.

-- Bradford Elementary School, Pueblo.

-- Liberty Common School, Fort Collins.

-- Maple Grove Elementary School, Golden.

"The achievement gap is closing and that is great news for every student," Spellings said. "These Blue Ribbon Schools are an example of what teachers and students can achieve. For the first time, we are insisting on results and accountability in return for our federal investment in education. In the three plus years since No Child Left Behind was signed into law, we've learned a new equation: 'Accountability plus high expectations plus resources equals results.'"

The No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools program recognizes schools that make significant progress in closing the achievement gap or whose students achieve at very high levels. This year, 295 schools will be recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools.

The schools are selected based on one of three criteria:

· Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance on state tests;

· Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests;

· Private schools that achieve in the top 10 percent in the nation.

Under No Child Left Behind, schools must make Adequate Yearly Progress, or AYP, in reading and language arts and mathematics. Each state sets its own academic standards and benchmark goals-not the federal government-because each state knows best what goals and criteria are most appropriate for its school districts.

The No Child Left Behind Act is the bipartisan landmark education reform law designed to change the culture of America's schools by closing the achievement gap, offering more flexibility to states, giving parents more information and options and teaching students based on what works. Under the law's strong accountability provisions, states must describe how they will close the achievement gap and make sure all students, including those with disabilities, achieve academically.

Secretary Spellings has also undertaken a number of initiatives to ensure that students displaced by Hurricane Katrina can continue their education and achieve academically. The Bush Administration is proposing up to $2.6 billion in funding to affected elementary, secondary and post secondary institutions in the Gulf Region as well as schools taking in displaced students. More information on assistance for students and schools affected by the hurricane is available at "Hurricane Help for Schools." http://hurricanehelpforschools.gov/index.html

More information about the Blue Ribbon Schools program is available at http://www.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/index.html.

 

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