US education department reveals 3 city public schools named among National Blue Ribbon Schools

The United States Education Department has revealed the three New York City public schools named among the National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Only three New York City public schools made this year’s list of National Blue Ribbon Schools, and all were charter schools located in the Bronx, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s picks released Friday.

The Bronx’s Icahn Charter School 2, New Visions Charter High School for Advanced Math & Science II, and South Bronx Classical Charter III were among 297 schools across the country winning the honor.

All three were recognized for their overall academic performance, and are low-income schools serving a majority of Black and Latino students.

Schools also make the list for showing progress in closing achievement gaps among different groups of students.

State education officials can submit up to 19 schools for the honor, according to a spokesperson from the U.S. Department of Education. Yet, New York state saw 20 winners this year, none of which were schools run by the city’s education department.

State education officials could not immediately provide the list of schools they submitted for consideration.

It was the first time since 2005 that no schools run by the city’s education department were on the list. Last year, of the seven Blue Ribbon public schools from New York City, six were district schools and one was a charter (Icahn Charter School 3).

Though the award comes with no financial boost, it comes with bragging rights.

“Blue Ribbon Schools have gone above and beyond to keep students healthy and safe while meeting their academic, social, emotional, and mental health needs,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement. “These schools show what is possible to make an enduring, positive difference in students’ lives.”