National Blue Ribbon Schools Program

National Blue Ribbon Schools Program
Guidance for the 2018 Nomination Process

OMB Control Number: 1860-0506
Expiration Date: March 31, 2018

Table of Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................... 1
Requirements for the State Nomination Process .............................................................................................. 2
Eligibility Requirements Based on School Performance ................................................................................. 2
Other National Blue Ribbon Schools Eligibility Requirements ....................................................................... 4
State Nomination Process and Data Required for Nominating National Blue Ribbon Schools ...................... 4
Steps for Nominating National Blue Ribbon Schools ...................................................................................... 5
Questions and Concerns .................................................................................................................................. 7
Timeline for 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools ........................................................................................... 8
Appendix A. 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools State Nomination Process Template
Appendix B.

Data Requirements for State Cut Scores and Performance Results for
Schools Being Considered for Nomination for NBRS Award

Nomination Process for 2018 Cohort of National Blue Ribbon Schools
Introduction
Since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools Program (NBRS) has
annually honored America’s most successful public and non-public 1 elementary, middle, and high schools.
The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes 1) schools whose students achieve at very high
levels and 2) schools making significant progress in closing academic achievement gaps among different
groups of students. The Program sets a standard of excellence for all schools striving for the highest level of
academic achievement. A National Blue Ribbon Schools flag waving overhead has become a trademark of
excellence, a symbol of quality recognized by everyone from parents to policy-makers in thousands of
communities across the nation.
Each year, National Blue Ribbon Schools are honored at a recognition ceremony in Washington, DC. The
applications from the award-winning schools are posted on the NBRS website. A small group of National
Blue Ribbon Schools are also visited each year to identify educational practices that have been especially
successful and promising for replication in other schools.
The purpose of this document is to:
1. Describe the requirements for the participation of states, territories, and other nominating entities in
the 2017-2018 NBRS program;
2. Provide guidance to states, territories, and other nominating entities interested in submitting
nomination procedures and eligible schools for consideration and nomination for national
recognition; and
3. Set timelines for the activities for the 2018 cohort of schools.
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) annually invites Chief State School Officers (CSSOs) for all states
and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and
the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) to apply for recognition as National Blue Ribbon
Schools. In this document, CSSOs will refer to the chief school officers for the states and for the public
education entities named above. In submitting the list of nominated schools, the CSSO certifies that the
schools meet the minimum requirements established by the Department for nomination. As described
below, states must rely on their educational accountability and student academic assessment systems to
identify schools for submission to the United States Secretary of Education. In addition to the procedures
used to identify schools eligible for nomination, associated individual school data are reviewed and
approved by ED prior to inviting nominated schools to apply for recognition. Awardee announcements are
made after submitted school applications are reviewed and final state certification is established.

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Non-public schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE). The nomination process
set forth in this document pertains solely to the nomination of public schools.

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Requirements for the State Nomination Process
The number of public schools each state may nominate is based on the number of public K-12 students and
schools in each state, ranging from a minimum of three schools to a maximum of 35.
At least one-third of the public schools nominated by each state must include schools with enrollments of at
least 40 percent of traditionally underserved students (i.e. students from disadvantaged backgrounds). A
student from a “disadvantaged background” is defined by the CSSO of each state. The definition must
include economically disadvantaged students, that is, students who are eligible for free and reduced-price
school meals, and may include students with disabilities and students who are limited English proficient,
migrant, or receiving services under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by
the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015. The Department also recommends that nominated schools reflect
the demographic and geographic diversity of the state’s public school-age population.
Each state’s nomination criteria must pertain equally to all public schools nominated by the state.

Eligibility Requirements Based on School Performance
In order to be eligible for nomination, a school must meet several criteria based on the performance of its
students on at least the state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, and
possibly other measures of student performance. A school may be nominated in either of two performance
award categories:
1. Exemplary High Performing Schools: “High performing” is defined by the CSSO of each state, but
at a minimum means:
a. The school must be in the top 15 percent of all public schools in the state when schools are
ranked on
i.

the performance of all students who participated in the most recently administered state
assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics (including students
tested with accommodations), or

ii. a composite score that includes these assessment results and may also include assessment
results in other subject areas and/or other student performance measures, such as
graduation rates or other indicators in the State accountability system.
b. For each of the school’s traditionally underserved populations (i.e. subgroups), the school must
be in the top 40 percent of all public schools in the state when schools are ranked on
i.

the performance of all students in the subgroup who participated in the most recently
administered state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, or

ii. a composite score that includes these assessment results and may also include assessment
results in other subject areas and/or other student performance measures, such as
graduation rates or other indicators in the State accountability system.
c. For high schools, the school must be in the top 15 percent of all public high schools in the state
when high schools are ranked on the most recently available graduation rate.
2. Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools: “Achievement gap closing” is defined by the CSSO
of each state, but at a minimum means:

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a. For each of the school’s subgroups, the school must be in the top 15 percent of all public
schools in the state when schools are (1) ranked on the school’s progress in closing the gap
between the performance of the school’s subgroup and the state’s all-students group, (2)
comparing the most recent school year in which the state assessments were administered and
the school year four years prior to that, on
i.

the state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, or

ii. a composite score that includes these assessment results and may also include assessment
results in other subject areas and/or other student performance measures, such as
graduation rates or other indicators in the State accountability system.
b. For each of the school’s subgroups, the school must be in the top 40 percent of all public
schools in the state when schools are ranked on
i.

the performance of all students in the subgroup who participated in the most recently
administered state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, or

ii. a composite score that includes these assessment results and may also include assessment
results in other subject areas and/or other student performance measures, such as
graduation rates or other indicators in the State accountability system.
c. For high schools, the school must be in the top 40 percent of all public high schools in the state
when high schools are ranked on the most recently available graduation rate for each subgroup.
d. The increase in the performance of all students in the school between the most recent school
year in which the state assessments were administered and the school year four years prior to
that, must not be less than the increase over the same period in the performance of all public
school students in the state on
i.

the state assessments in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics, or

ii. a composite score that includes these assessment results and may also include assessment
results in other subject areas or other student performance measures, such as graduation
rates or other indicators in the State accountability system.
In addition to meeting the above performance requirements, a nominated school must – in most cases -have at least 100 students enrolled and have assessment data for at least 10 students in each tested grade for
both reading (or English language arts) and mathematics. States with a large percentage of schools with
fewer than 100 students enrolled may include up to a similar percentage of these schools in their
nominations. However, each school must have assessment data for at least 10 students in each tested grade
for both reading (or English language arts) and mathematics.
All nominated public schools must meet the state’s measures of interim progress in the state accountability
system or other performance targets that are set for the school year in question in at least reading (or
English language arts) and mathematics and graduation rates and possibly other academic indicators, for the
all students group and all subgroups. Additionally, nominated schools must have assessment participation
rates of at least 95 percent using the most recent accountability results available, for the all students group
and all subgroups. Finally, in order to meet all eligibility requirements, all nominated public schools must
be certified by the state prior to September 2018 announcement of National Blue Ribbon Schools by the
U. S. Secretary of Education.

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Other National Blue Ribbon Schools Eligibility Requirements
1. The school configuration includes one or more of grades K-12. Schools on the same campus with
one principal, even a K-12 school, must apply as an entire school.
2. If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it must offer foreign language as a part of its curriculum.
3. The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from at least September 2012 and
grades participating in statewide assessments must have been part of the school for at least the past
three years.
4. The nominated school has not received the National Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five
years: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 or 2017.
5. The nominated school has no history of testing irregularities, nor have charges of irregularities been
brought against the school at the time of nomination. The U.S. Department of Education reserves
the right to disqualify a school’s application and/or rescind a school’s award if irregularities are
later discovered and proven by the state.
6. The nominated school has not been identified by the state as “persistently dangerous” within the
last two years.
7. The nominated school or district is not refusing Office of Civil Rights (OCR) access to information
necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to conduct a district-wide compliance review.
8. The OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school district concluding that the
nominated school or the district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if OCR has accepted a corrective
action plan from the district to remedy the violation.
9. The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging that the nominated school or
the school district as a whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
Constitution’s equal protection clause.
10. There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in a
U.S. Department of Education monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has corrected, or agreed to correct, the
findings.

State Nomination Process and Data Required for Nominating National Blue Ribbon Schools
The Department recognizes that states are in the process of making changes to their educational
accountability systems to be in alignment with the Every Student Succeeds Act and that these changes
should be allowed to play a role in how states nominate schools in the future for the National Blue Ribbon
Schools award. However, since these changes will not be in place for all states until the fall of 2018, the
NBRS program has decided to follow the same process used in the past two years, with some additions, for
nominating schools in the fall of 2017 for the September 2018 NBRS award. The NBRS program is no
longer requiring each state to submit a nomination plan, obtain approval for the plan, and then identify
schools nominated on the basis of the plan. States are now required to submit for approval:
1. a description of the state’s nomination process using a standard template (see Appendix A);

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2. the state “cut scores” 2 on each measure used to rank schools in order to identify schools meeting the
performance criteria described on pages 2 and 3 of this guidance;
3. names of the schools meeting those performance criteria—plus other NBRS and state eligibility
criteria—which the state wishes to consider for nomination; and
4. for each school under consideration, performance data that demonstrate the school meets or exceeds
the cut scores on the measures used to rank schools.
Description of State Nomination Process. As in the past two years, states must describe their procedures
for determining which schools are eligible for nomination. (This process is no longer being referred to as a
plan since states are being asked to describe the process they followed to identify schools they are
considering for nomination based on it.) States may choose to nominate only Exemplary High Performing
Schools or only Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools or both types of schools. For the fall of
2017, states are required to use the nomination process template attached to this guidance (see Appendix
A). This template asks questions which are designed to assist the state in describing its procedures for
ranking schools based on student performance in at least reading (or English language arts) and
mathematics. States that submitted plans in the past two years in a different format are asked to transfer this
information into the required template. Narrative explanations for procedural choices can be inserted in the
template’s text boxes labeled “Explanation Required.”
State Cut Scores. Regardless of the procedure that each state uses to rank order schools to determine
which ones meet the performance criteria for Exemplary High Performing or Exemplary Achievement Gap
Closing Schools, the performance of eligible schools must meet or exceed “cut scores” on the measures
used to rank the schools. States are required to submit these cut scores with their school nomination
process. A recommended template for reporting these cut scores is provided in Appendix B.
Schools Being Considered for Nomination. As explained earlier in this guidance, each state has a
maximum number of schools it may nominate for the NBRS award each year. States are required to submit
with their nomination process the names of schools meeting the NBRS performance criteria—plus other
NBRS and state eligibility criteria—that are being considered for nomination. States may identify a few (15) more schools beyond their maximum number in the event that one or more schools is not approved for
nomination by NBRS or the state, or if the school decides it does not wish to apply for the award.
Individual School Performance Data. To help assure the U.S. Department of Education that the schools
being considered for nomination meet, at a minimum, the NBRS performance criteria, the state must
provide the “scores” of each school on the measures the state used to rank schools. A recommended
template for reporting these school data is provided in Appendix B.

Steps for Nominating National Blue Ribbon Schools
1. Complete the Nomination Process, State Cut Scores, and School Data Templates
States are required to complete (1) a description of their nomination process using the State Nomination
Process template referenced in Appendix A, (2) state cut scores using or adapting the State Cut Scores
template referenced in Appendix B, and (3) names of schools being considered for nomination with
individual school performance data using or adapting the School Performance Results template. Note:
States are allowed to use other formats, such as a spreadsheet, for providing state cut scores and individual
school data as long as the required information is included.
There is a zip file within the liaison portal containing the following five Word templates.
2

The term “cut score” is used by the NBRS program to mean the value of any school measure (e.g., a proficiency rate,
graduation rate, or a composite index) that identifies the schools in the top 15 or 40 percent of schools on that measure.

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Template
Filename
State Nomination Process
NomProc18.docx
Exemplary High Performing Schools (EHP)
State Cut Scores
CutScrEHP18.docx
Individual School Performance
Results

SchPerfEHP18.docx

Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools (EAGC)
State Cut Scores
CutScrEAGC18.docx
Individual School Performance
Results

SchPerfEAGC18.docx

Notes
Required to use.
Recommended if nominating in
this category.
Recommended if nominating in
this category, will need X
number of copies depending on
X number of schools considered
for nomination; one form per
school.
Recommended if nominating in
this category.
Recommended if nominating in
this category, will need X
number of copies depending on
X number of schools considered
for nomination; one form per
school.

2. Submit State Nomination Process, Cut Scores and Schools Being Considered for Nomination to the
Department
The nomination process, state cut scores, and performance data for schools being considered for nomination
need to be uploaded online through a secure portal located at Liaison National Blue Ribbon Schools Portal.
The completed templates or alternate formats to be uploaded must be in PDF (preferred), Word, or Excel
formats. Please name your files the same as the template with a prefix of your state initials. The table below
presents the state initials as XX.
Template
Name the File
State Nomination Process
XXNomProc18
Exemplary High Performing Schools (EHP)
State Cut Scores
XXCutScrEHP18
Individual School Performance
Results

XXSchPerfEHP18

Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools (EAGC)
State Cut Scores
XXCutScrEAGC18
Individual School Performance
Results

XXSchPerfEAGC18

Notes
Required to upload.
If nominating in this category,
upload one file.
If nominating in this category,
combine all school templates
into one file.
If nominating in this category,
upload one file.
If nominating in this category,
combine all school templates
into one file.

3. Approval of State Nomination Process and Considered Schools

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Nomination processes, state cut scores, and individual school performance data will be reviewed by a panel
of experts. Reviewers will follow up with questions, suggestions, or comments when necessary.
4. Submitting Approved State Nominated Schools through the Online Portal
Once a state’s nomination process and list of considered schools is reviewed and accepted by the
Department, formal submissions of nominated schools will be made online through a secure portal located
at Liaison National Blue Ribbon Schools Portal. The formal submissions must include accurate contact and
descriptive information and demographic data for each nominated school.
Before entering approved nominations (step 4), the Department recommends that state liaisons contact the
principal of each school under consideration to confirm interest in applying for the National Blue Ribbon
School award. In addition, the Department strongly recommends that state liaisons offer to review
completed school applications before final submission to ensure that applications reflect the high quality
expected by the CSSO and meet requirements of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.
Finally, the Department encourages schools and states to delay publicizing their nominations until after the
Secretary’s announcement of the awards.

Questions and Concerns
For any additional information regarding the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, or any questions or
concerns about how states describe their nomination process or nominate schools, contact Aba Kumi,
Director, National Blue Ribbon Schools Program at [email protected] or by phone at (202) 401-1767.

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Timeline for 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools
Date

Due

September, 2017

The Secretary of Education sends a letter of invitation to the CSSOs and CAPE
requesting nominations of eligible schools. Revised guidance will be attached.

September, 2017

Conduct webinar/TA conference calls to review revised guidance with liaisons.

November 30, 2017

Nomination processes and data for public schools being considered for
nomination from CSSOs and interested non-public schools from CAPE are due to
the Department.

December 12, 2017

Nomination processes and data for public schools being considered for
nomination are reviewed by ED and a NBRS Assessment Panel for alignment
with the general eligibility criteria of the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

December 19, 2017

Non-public school applications are due to CAPE.

January 15, 2018

Approved public school nominations are entered by states into online portal.

January 22, 2018

The Department invites public schools nominated by CSSOs to apply for
recognition as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

January 29, 2018

CAPE selects non-public school nominations.

March 30, 2018

Completed public and non-public school applications are due to the Department.

April-June, 2018

Applications are reviewed for completeness, quality and accuracy.

August, 2018

States certify that nominated public schools have met all eligibility requirements.

September, 2018

The Secretary of Education announces the 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools
(public and non-public).

November, 2018

Two representatives from each school, the principal and a teacher, attend the
recognition ceremony in Washington, DC.

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Appendix A. 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools State Nomination Process Template
General Instructions
This template is provided for state education agencies to submit their process for nominating public
schools 3 for the 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools award. To ensure that nominated schools meet the
performance requirements for Exemplary High Performing and/or Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing
Schools, as described on pages 2 and 3 of the Nomination Process Guidance a state must complete and
submit this template to the U.S. Department of Education (Department).
The performance criteria require ranking schools based on student performance in at least reading (or
English language arts) and mathematics so that the highest performing schools can be identified. This
template presents questions designed to allow states to describe their procedures for ranking schools. All
states must address the first 12 questions in this template. States that are nominating Exemplary
Achievement Gap Closing Schools must also address seven additional questions.
States should DOWNLOAD the template and address each question by checking the appropriate shaded
boxes and providing explanatory details in the expandable shaded space provided for each question. As
indicated, states are required to provide explanatory details for each question in a text box labeled
“Explanation Required.” Any additional supporting/explanatory information beyond what is requested in
the template may be submitted as an attachment to the template.
All nomination process descriptions will be reviewed by the Department and an Assessment Panel to make
sure that the procedures described support the nomination of eligible public schools. Additional details
describing these procedures, whether in the provided text boxes or in an attachment, will help reviewers
understand the state’s nomination process.

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Non-public schools are also eligible for the National Blue Ribbon Schools program but are nominated through a
separate process by the Council for American Private Education (CAPE).

Appendix A

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NBRS 2018 State Nomination Process
State:
Chief State School Officer:
NBRS Liaison:
Liaison Email:
For Exemplary High Performing AND Achievement Gap Closing Schools
Ranking Schools on Student Performance
Describe the general process that will be used to rank schools based on student performance in at least
reading (or English language arts) and mathematics by answering the following questions.
1. What type(s) of student performance measure(s) on state assessments in reading (or English
language arts) and mathematics will be used to rank schools? [Check at least one.]
a. Percentage of students proficient or better
b. Average composite score
c. Other
Explanation Required [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

2. How will the measures of student performance in reading (or English language arts) and
mathematics be combined in order to rank each school? [Check one.]
a. Schools will be ranked separately on each subject.
b. Student achievement in both subjects will be combined and schools will be
ranked on the total/average composite score.
c. Student achievement in both subjects will be combined with performance on
state assessments in other subjects and/or other measures of student/school
performance (e.g., graduation rates) and schools will be ranked on the
total/average composite score. If additional measures are combined with
state assessment data, that information must be described below.
d. Other
Explanation Required [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Nomination Process

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3. How will schools with different grade configurations be ranked? [Check one.]
a. All schools will be ranked together regardless of grade configuration
b. Schools will be ranked within grade spans (e.g., elementary, middle, high)
[Describe in “Explanation Required” box below how schools serving multiple
spans will be assigned to a single grade span or how their overall rank will be
calculated based on their ranks within grade spans.]
c. Schools will be ranked within individual grades. [Describe in “Explanation
Required” box below how the overall rank of each school will be calculated
based on ranks within grades.]
d. Other
Explanation Required [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Excluding Schools
Nominated schools must meet additional requirements (enroll at least 100 students, have state assessment
results in reading (or English language arts) and mathematics for at least 10 students in each tested grade,
meet the state’s performance target requirements for 2016-2017 or the most recent available data, and meet
the ten other eligibility requirements listed on page 4 of the Guidance. Describe when schools that do not
meet these requirements will be excluded from eligibility for nomination by answering the following
questions.
4. When will schools that enroll less than 100 students be excluded? [Check one.]
a. Before schools are ranked
b. After schools are ranked
c. Not excluded – state has large percentage of
schools with fewer than 100 students
enrolled
d. Other
Explanation Required for c. or d. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Nomination Process

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5. When will schools that have state assessment results in reading (or English language arts) or
mathematics for less than 10 students in one or more tested grades be excluded? [Check one.]
a. Before schools are ranked
b. After schools are ranked
c. Other
Explanation Required for c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

6. When will schools that have not met the state’s accountability performance targets in the previous
year be excluded? [Check one.]
a. Before schools are ranked
b. After schools are ranked
c. Other
Explanation Required for c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

7. When will schools that have not met the ten other eligibility requirements listed on page 4 of the
Guidance be excluded? [Check one.]
a. Before schools are ranked
b. After schools are ranked
c. Before for some requirements and after for
the others
d. Other
Explanation Required for c. or d. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

If schools are excluded from eligibility for other reasons, please describe them in the box below. Please
include a description of when these exclusions take place—before or after schools are ranked.

Subgroups
Nominated schools must be in the top 40 percent of schools ranked by the performance of each subgroup.
Describe the subgroups, including special low-performing groups or combined subgroups, whose
performance will be used to rank schools by answering the following questions.

Nomination Process

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8. What are the names of the subgroups whose performance in reading (or English language arts) and
mathematics (or on a composite score that includes these two subject areas) will be considered in
nominating schools? [List each subgroup in the box below and describe how membership is
determined for any combined or special subgroups.]
[Box will expand to accommodate text.]

9. What is the minimum size of school subgroups for including the performance of a school’s
subgroup in the ranking process for that subgroup? [Provide minimum size or check one of the two
boxes.]
a. Minimum number of students
b. There is no minimum number for a school’s
subgroup to be included in the ranking
process.
c. Other
Explanation Required for b. or c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

10. When will a school’s subgroup that does not meet the minimum size requirement be excluded from
the ranking process for that subgroup?
a. Before schools are ranked
b. After schools are ranked
c. Other
Explanation Required for c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Graduation Rate
High schools must also be in the top 15 percent based on graduation rate. Describe how graduation rates
used to rank high schools are calculated by answering the following questions.

Nomination Process

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11. What type of graduation rate will be used? [Check one.]
a. 4-year adjusted cohort rate
b. 5-year adjusted cohort rate
c. Other
Explanation Required for c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

12. What school year will the graduation rate data
represent?

Nomination Process

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Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools
[Check one.]
The state plans to nominate Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools. [If checked, complete
questions 13-19.]
The state does not plan to nominate any Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools. [If checked,
do not complete questions 13-19.]

Ranking Schools on Gap Reduction
In addition to responding to Questions 1-12 above, states that plan to identify Exemplary Achievement Gap
Closing Schools must also calculate the gaps between the performance of each school’s subgroups and the
statewide performance of all students. These gaps should be calculated for the most recent school year in
which the state assessments were administered and the school year four years prior to that so all schools can
be ranked on the amount of gap reduction between those two school years for each subgroup. Schools
nominated as Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing must be in the top 15 percent of gap reduction for all
subgroups that meet the minimum number of students requirement described in Question 9 above.
Describe how schools will be ranked on gap reduction for each subgroup by answering the following
questions.
13. Will school subgroup gaps between the performance of a school’s subgroups and the statewide
performance of all students be calculated for the most recent school year in which the state
assessments were administered and for the school year four years prior to that?
a. Yes
b. No
Explanation Required for b. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

14. Will any method other than a simple difference be used to calculate the gaps between the
performance of a school’s subgroups and the statewide average of all students for the two years?
a. Yes
b. No
Explanation Required for a. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Nomination Process

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15. When will schools with a subgroup that does not meet the minimum number of students
requirement (see Question 9 above) be excluded from the gap calculations and gap reductions
ranking process for that subgroup?
a. Before school gap reductions are ranked
b. After school gap reductions are ranked
c. Other
Explanation Required for c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Graduation Rate
Each high school that is in the top 15 percent of gap reduction for all its subgroups must also be in the top
40 percent based on graduation rate for each subgroup. Describe the graduation rate used to rank high
schools by answering the following questions.
16. What type of graduation rate will be used? [Check one.]
a. 4-year adjusted cohort rate
b. 5-year adjusted cohort rate
c. Other
Explanation Required for c. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

17. What school year will the graduation rate data
represent?

Maintaining Performance Level of All Students
The All Students group for Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools must also not lose ground relative
to the statewide performance of all students. Therefore, for each of the schools in the top 15 percent of gap
reduction for all its subgroups, the state must also calculate the difference between the performance of the
school’s All Students group and the statewide performance of all public school students. This difference
should be calculated for the most recent school year in which the state assessments were administered and
the school year four years prior to that. Any school that has lost ground relative to the statewide
performance between these two years must be excluded.
Describe how schools ranked in the top 15 percent on gap reduction for all subgroups will be checked to
confirm that the performance of their All Students group did not lose ground relative to the statewide
performance of all students by answering the following questions.

Nomination Process

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18. Will the difference between the performance of the school’s All Students group and the statewide
performance for all students be calculated for the most recent school year in which the state
assessments were administered and for the school year four years prior to that?
a. Yes
b. No
Explanation Required for b. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

19. Will any method other than a simple difference be used to calculate the gap between the
performance of a school’s All Students group and the statewide performance of all public school
students for the two years?
a. Yes
b. No
Explanation Required for a. [Box will expand to accommodate text.]

Nomination Process

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Appendix B. Data Requirements for State Cut Scores and Performance Results for Schools
Being Considered for Nomination for NBRS Award
Background
The cut scores and school performance data that states must submit with their school nomination process in
the fall of 2017 depend primarily on the procedures that a state follows to identify schools that meet the
performance criteria for Exemplary High Performing Schools and Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing
Schools. To assist states in determining the state cut scores and the school performance data they must
submit with their school nomination process, the Department conducted an analysis of all state nomination
plans submitted in the fall of 2016 for the 2017 NBRS awards.
In the fall of 2016, most states identified Exemplary High Performing Schools by
•

ranking public schools on their assessment results for all students in reading and mathematics
separately and requiring nominated schools to be among the highest performing in both subject
areas; or

•

ranking public schools on the combination (e.g., average or sum) of their assessment results for all
students in reading and mathematics and requiring nominated schools to be among the highest
performing based on reading and mathematics combined; or

•

ranking public schools on a composite (e.g., sum) of their assessment results for all students in
reading and mathematics, plus assessment results in other subject areas and/or other student
performance measures (e.g., graduation rates) and requiring nominated schools to be among the
highest performing based on this composite score.

Variations on these three methods used by a few states included (a) ranking public schools on reading and
mathematics separately and ranking schools again on the combination (e.g., average or sum) of these ranks,
or (b) ranking public schools on reading and mathematics plus other subject areas and/or other student
performance measures and requiring nominated schools to be among the highest performing for each of
these subjects/measures.
In the fall of 2016, of the states that identified Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools, most ranked
public schools on the amount of reduction in achievement gaps in reading and mathematics for each
subgroup, comparing the gap in the most recent school year in which state assessments were administered
to the gap in the school year four years prior to that, by following four steps:
1. calculating each school’s gap (assessment results for all students in the state minus assessment
results for the school’s subgroup) for each subgroup in reading and mathematics for both school
years;
2. calculating the reduction in each school’s gap between the two school years (subtracting the gap in
the most recent school year from the gap in the school years four years prior);
3. for each subgroup, ranking schools on their gap reduction in reading and mathematics
separately; and
4. requiring nominated schools to be among the highest gap closing for each of its subgroups in both
reading and mathematics.

Appendix B

1

A few states varied this procedure by calculating the improvement in assessment results between the two
years for all students in the state and for each of the school’s subgroups and ranking schools on the
difference between the school’s subgroup improvement and the improvement of all students in the state. (If
a school’s subgroup improves more than all students in the state, the achievement gap for the subgroup has
been reduced.)
Appendix B contains instructions for strongly recommended templates for states to use for reporting their
cut scores and the performance data for each considered school. This format reflects the three common
methods for ranking schools for identifying Exemplary High Performing Schools and the most common
method for ranking schools for identifying Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools described above.
However, the templates allow states to describe other methods for determining eligible schools based
on the NBRS performance criteria, and states may use formats for reporting cut scores or school
performance data that differ from these templates as long as all of the information requested in the
templates is provided (e.g., Excel spreadsheets).
General Instructions
Regardless of the procedure that each state uses to rank order schools to determine which ones meet the
performance criteria for Exemplary High Performing or Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing schools (see
pages 2 and 3 of the nomination guidance), the performance of eligible schools must meet or exceed “cut
scores” on the measures used to rank the schools. These cut scores are used to identify the highest
performing schools or gap closing schools. In the nomination process for the 2018 National Blue Ribbon
awards, states are required to submit these cut scores with the description of their school nomination
process to ED. In addition, states are required to submit school performance data, the school’s actual scores
on the measures used to rank schools, for each considered school.
The nature and number of the cut scores and the elements of the performance data for each considered
school that a state must submit depend on
•
•

•
•
•

how the performance of each public school’s students on state assessments of reading and
mathematics is measured (e.g., proficiency rates or some other system for assigning points to
different achievement levels);
how the measures of student performance in reading and mathematics are combined to rank the
schools (e.g., separate rankings in each subject, a single ranking on the total/average of these two
subjects, or a single ranking on a composite score that combines student performance in both
subjects with performance on state assessments in other subjects and/or other measures such as
graduation rates);
how schools with different grade configurations are ranked (e.g., all schools ranked together,
schools serving different grade spans ranked separately, or schools ranked separately in each grade
served);
how many subgroups are employed by the state for meeting the performance criteria described
above (see pages 2-3 of the guidance) and which of a school’s subgroups meet the minimum size
requirement for the state; and
whether there are any high schools being considered, which would require graduation rate cut
scores and high school graduation rates.

Appendix B

2

To illustrate how these considerations influence the reporting of state cut scores and school performance
data, several examples are provided below:
Example 1
If a state required its nominated Exemplary High Performing schools to be in the top 15 percent
based on the school’s student proficiency rates on state assessments separately in both reading
and mathematics, and if the state ranked all schools together regardless of grade configuration,
there would be two school proficiency rate cut scores representing the top 15% of schools—one in
reading and one in mathematics—for all students, and two more cut score representing the top 40%
of schools for each subgroup the state used to rank schools. If the state included high schools in the
ranking procedure, there would also be a cut score for graduation rate representing the top 15% of
high schools.
Thus, if the state used three subgroups and included high schools, it would have to report nine cut
scores (2 x (1 + 3) + 1). And for each nominated school, the state would have to report the school’s
proficiency rates in reading and mathematics for all students and for each of the three subgroups
meeting the state’s minimum size requirement, plus the graduation rate for high schools. In other
words, school results on up to nine measures would be reported. (If the school only had two
subgroups, for example, that met the state’s minimum size requirement, school results in reading
and mathematics for the missing subgroup would not have to be reported.)
Example 2
If a state ranked schools for Exemplary High Performing status based on the school’s average
student proficiency rates in reading and mathematics combined (e.g., using a total or average of the
performance in the two subjects), and ranked all elementary and middle schools together and
ranked high schools separately, it would also have two cut scores—one for the
reading/mathematics total or average proficiency rate for elementary/middle schools and one for
high schools—representing the top 15% of schools for all students, and two more cut score
representing the top 40% of schools for each subgroup the state used to rank schools. There would
also be a cut score for graduation rate representing the top 15% of high schools.
Thus, if the state used two subgroups, it would have to report seven cut scores (2 x (1+2) + 1). And
for each nominated school, the state would have to report the school’s combined proficiency rate in
reading and mathematics for all students and for each of the two subgroups meeting the state’s
minimum size requirement, plus the graduation rate for high schools.
Example 3
If a state nominated Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools and, for each subgroup, ranked
schools separately for reading and mathematics on the reduction in the gap between the
subgroup’s performance and the statewide performance of all students, comparing the most recent
school year in which the state assessments were administered to the school year four years prior to
that, there would be two cut scores for each subgroup —for the gap reduction in reading and
mathematics—representing the top 15% of schools. There would also be two cut scores for each
subgroup—for student performance in reading and mathematics in the most recent school year in
which the state assessments were administered—representing the top 40% of schools. If the state
included high schools in the ranking procedure, there would also be a cut score for graduation rate
for each subgroup representing the top 40% of high schools. Finally, to make sure that the
performance in reading and mathematics of all students in eligible gap closing schools did not lose
ground relative to the performance of all students in the state, comparing the most recent school
year in which state assessments were administered to the school year four years prior, the state
would need to report student performance in reading and mathematics for all students in the state in

Appendix B

3

the most recent year in which state assessments were administered and in school year four years
prior to that.
Thus, if the state used three subgroups and included high schools, it would have to report 15 cut
scores (2 x (3 + 3) + 3) plus four scores representing the performance of all students in the state in
reading and mathematics for the two years. And for each nominated school, the state would have to
report the school’s gap reduction in reading and mathematics for each subgroup that met the
minimum size requirement. It would also have to report student performance in reading and
mathematics, in the most recent year in which state assessments were administered, for each of the
three subgroups that met the minimum size requirement, plus student performance in reading and
mathematics for all students in the school in the most recent year and four years prior, and, if it is a
high school, the graduation rate for each of the three subgroups that met the minimum size
requirement. In other words, school results on up to 19 measures would be reported.
To assist states in determining which state cut scores and individual school performance data they must
report with their school nomination process for the 2018 NBRS award, data reporting templates are
provided below. Separate templates are provided for Exemplary High Performing Schools and Exemplary
Achievement Gap Closing Schools. States are strongly urged to use these templates in providing the
required information. However, states may use reporting formats that differ from these templates as
long as all of the information requested in the templates is provided. States should DOWNLOAD the
data templates and copy and customize as needed. For instance, each school being considered for
nomination will need a separate school level information template filled out.

Appendix B

4

State Cut Scores
Exemplary High Performing Schools
State:
Chief State School Officer:
NBRS Liaison:
Liaison Email:
If your state is nominating Exemplary High Performing Schools, check the method that best
describes how your state will identify schools that meet the performance criteria for this type of
school. The first three methods represent those used by many states in the fall of 2016. If your
state is using another method, check “Other Method” and describe it in the space provided.
Reading & Mathematics Separately
Schools are ranked separately on student performance (percent proficient or some other
method for assigning points to achievement levels) in reading and mathematics on state
assessments. Eligible schools must be in the top 15% for all students, and in the top 40%
for each subgroup that meets the state’s minimum size, for both subjects. High schools
are also ranked on graduation rate and must be in the top 15% to be eligible.
Reading & Mathematics Combined
Schools are ranked on combined (sum/average) student performance (percent proficient
or some other method for assigning points to achievement levels) in reading and
mathematics on state assessments. Eligible schools must be in the top 15% for all
students, and in the top 40% for each subgroup that meets the state’s minimum size, for
this combined performance. High schools are also ranked on graduation rate and must
be in the top 15% to be eligible.
Composite Score
Schools are ranked on a composite score consisting of student performance (percent
proficient or some other method for assigning points to achievement levels) in reading and
mathematics on state assessments at a minimum, and may also include assessments in
other subjects and/or other school performance indicators. Graduation rate is included
in this composite score for high schools. Eligible schools must be in the top 15% for all
students, and in the top 40% for each subgroup that meets the state’s minimum size, for
this composite score.
Other Method
(Please replace this text with a description of how student performance is measured, how
schools are ranked on the measures, and how the top-performing schools are identified.
Space will expand.)

State Cut Scores – High Performing

1

For the Exemplary High Performing Schools being considered for nomination, provide the cut scores that identify the highest
performing schools based on student performance on your state’s reading and mathematics assessments for the most recent year in
which they are available and, possibly, combined with other student performance indicators. If your state is considering nominating any
high schools in this category, also provide the all students graduation rate cut score based on the most recent year for which rates are
available.
Depending on the method for identifying schools checked above, provide the cut scores in the column labelled “R & M Separately,” “R
& M Combined,” “Composite Score,” or “Other.” States checking “Other Method” will have to label and, perhaps, modify the “Other”
column to reflect their “Other Method”.
State Cut Scores for Exemplary High Performing Schools
Eligibility
Criteria
(see p. 2-3
in the
Guidance)
1.a
1.b

1.c

R & M Separately
Cut Score
Score corresponding to 85th percentile of schools
ranked on performance of all students (top 15%)
Score corresponding to 60th percentile of schools
ranked on performance of subgroups (top 40%)
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
Graduation rate corresponding to 85th percentile of
high schools ranked on rate for all students (top 15%)

Reading

Math

State Cut Scores – High Performing

R&M
Composite
Combined
Score

2

Other

State Cut Scores
Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools
State:
Chief State School Officer:
NBRS Liaison:
Liaison Email:
If your state is nominating Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools, check the method that
best describes how your state will compute the achievement gap and identify schools that meet the
performance criteria for that type of school. The first method represents the one used by most
states in the fall of 2016. If your state is using another method, check “Other Method” and
describe it in the space provided.
Reading & Mathematics Gap Reduction Separately
For each subgroup, schools are ranked separately for reading and mathematics on the
reduction in the gap between the subgroup’s performance and the statewide performance
of all students comparing the most recent school year in which the state assessments were
administered to the school year four years prior to that. Eligible schools must be in the top
15% for both subjects for each subgroup. In addition, schools are ranked separately on
student performance in reading and mathematics for each subgroup and eligible schools
must be in the top 40% for each subject and subgroup. Finally, the performance of all
students in an eligible school must not lose ground relative to the performance of all
students in the state in the most recent school year in which the state assessments were
administered compared to the school year four years prior to that for both reading and
mathematics. High schools are also ranked on graduation rate for each subgroup and
must be in the top 40% for each subgroup to be eligible.
Other Method
(Please replace this text with a description of how performance is measured, how gaps are
calculated, how schools are ranked on the measures, and how the top-performing schools
are identified. Space will expand.)

State Cut Scores – Achievement Gap Closing

1

For the Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools being considered for nomination, provide the cut scores that identify the highest
performing schools based on (a) the reductions in the gaps between the performance of each subgroup and all students in the school on
your state’s reading and mathematics assessments, comparing the most recent school year to the school year four years prior; (b)
performance of each subgroup on your state’s reading and mathematics assessments in the most recent year; and (c) the statewide
performance of all students on your reading and mathematics assessments. If your state is nominating any high schools in this category,
also provide the graduation rate cut score for each subgroup based on the most recent year for which rates are available.
Depending on the method for identifying schools checked above, provide the cut scores in the column labelled “R & M Separately” or
“Other.” States checking “Other Method” will have to label and, perhaps, modify the “Other” column to reflect their “Other Method.”
State Cut Scores for Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools
Eligibility
Criteria
(see p. 2-3
in the
Guidance)
2.a

2.b

R & M Separately
Cut Score
Score corresponding to 85 percentile of schools ranked on
amount of gap reduction for each subgroup (top 15%)
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
Score corresponding to 60th percentile of schools ranked on
performance of subgroups (top 40%)
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over

Reading

Math

th

State Cut Scores – Achievement Gap Closing

2

Other

State Cut Scores for Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools
Eligibility
Criteria
(see p. 2-3
in the
Guidance)
2.c

2.d

R & M Separately
Cut Score
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
Graduation rate corresponding to 60th percentile of high schools
ranked on rate for each subgroup (top 40%)
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
Performance of all students statewide on reading and
mathematics assessments
in the most recent school year
in the school year four years prior

Reading

State Cut Scores – Achievement Gap Closing

Math

3

Other

School Performance Results
Exemplary High Performing Schools
Name of School:
City/Town:
State:

Grades Served:
% Students from Disadvantaged Background:

Please provide performance results for the school based on the state’s reading and mathematics assessments from the most recent school
year and, possibly, combined with other performance indicators in a composite score. Also provide performance results for the school
for each subgroup that meets the state minimum size requirement. Please check the results provided to make sure that they meet or
exceed each respective cut score provided in the State Cut Scores template for Exemplary High Performing Schools.
Depending on the method for identifying Exemplary High Performing Schools selected in the State Cut Scores template, provide the
school’s performance results in the column labelled “R & M Separately,” “R & M Combined,” “Composite Score,” or “Other.” If using
the “Other” column, label and, possibly, modify it to match the State Cut Scores template.
School Performance Results for an Exemplary High Performing School
Eligibility
Criteria
(see p. 2-3
in the
Guidance)
1.a
1.b

1.c

R & M Separately
Student Performance Results
Performance of the school’s All Students group
Performance of each of the school’s subgroups that
meets the state minimum size requirement
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
If a high school, graduation rate for all students

Reading

Math

School Performance Results – High Performing

R&M
Composite
Combined
Score

1

Other

School Performance Results
Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools
Name of School:
City/Town:
State:

Grades Served:
% Students from Disadvantaged Background:

Please provide performance results for the school in the table below that indicate that the school has met or exceeded the gap reduction
criteria used to rank and identify schools as Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools. Also provide performance results for the
school for each subgroup that meets the state minimum size requirement, and provide performance results for the school’s all students
group from the most recent school year and four years prior to that. Please check the results provided to make sure that they meet or
exceed each respective cut score provided in the State Cut Scores template for Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools.
If using the “Other” column, label and, possibly, modify it to match the State Cut Score template.
School Performance Results for an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School
Eligibility
Criteria
(see p. 2-3
in the
Guidance)
2.a

2.b

R & M Separately
Student Performance Results
Gap reduction for each of the school’s subgroups that meets the
state minimum size requirement
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
Performance of each of the school’s subgroups that meets the
state minimum size requirement
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over

Reading

School Performance Results – Achievement Gap Closing

Math

1

Other

School Performance Results for an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School
Eligibility
Criteria
(see p. 2-3
in the
Guidance)

2.c

2.d

R & M Separately
Student Performance Results
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
If a high school, graduation rate for each of the school’s
subgroups that meets the state minimum size requirement
Subgroup 1 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 2 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 3 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 4 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 5 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 6 Specify by typing over
Subgroup 7 Specify by typing over
Performance of the school’s All Students group on reading and
mathematics assessments
in the most recent school year
in the school year four years prior

Reading

School Performance Results – Achievement Gap Closing

Math

2

Other