The Nevada Department of Education nominated three CCSD schools as national Blue Ribbon Schools. Judith D. Steele Elementary is nominated for the “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools” category and Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy (CTA) and West Career and Technical Academy are both nominated for the “Exemplary High Performing Schools” category. The U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) will make this determination in September 2020.
Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus F. Jara said “All three schools are deserving of the National Blue Ribbon award for everything they do to make sure students who walk through their doors have access to high-quality instruction. “Judith D. Steele Elementary, West Career and Technical Academy and Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy are examples of the pockets of excellence I hope to expand throughout the district to create a system of excellence. I am proud of the work of our teachers, staff, and administrators at these schools.”
Judith D. Steele Elementary, Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy and West Career and Technical Academy were identified with the following National Blue Ribbon Schools (NBRS) eligibility criteria based on school performance:
- Being in the top 15 percent of all public schools in the state when schools are ranked on the performance of all students who participated in the most recently administered state assessments in reading and mathematics;
- Each of the school’s subgroups meeting the state’s minimum size requirement, the school must be in the top 40 percent of all public schools in the state when schools are ranked on the performance of all students in the subgroup who participated in the most recently administered state assessments in reading and mathematics; and
- Each is 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.
The nomination process, state cut scores, and individual school performance data will be reviewed by a USDOE panel of experts. Once a state’s nomination process and list of considered schools is reviewed and accepted by the Department, formal submissions of nominated schools must be completed. This is a NBRS nomination only, and all schools nominated must maintain an exemplary status into the following year.
