AUSTIN – Commissioner Robert Scott recently announced the nomination of 26 Texas schools for the 2009 No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools recognition. The award honors schools for helping students excel academically and that make significant process in closing the achievement gap.

St. Mary’s Academy Charter School is the only school from the Bee County area selected for this honor.

In addition to being chosen as an NCLB-Blue Ribbon School, St. Mary’s will be featured in the winter issue of Charter Schools Today. The full color article will be showcased as an educational case study highlight and will span about four to six pages in length.

For the past 26 years, this prestigious program has honored more than 5,800 of America’s most successful schools, including almost 500 Texas schools. The No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools. The schools are selected based on one of two criteria:

· schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state test;

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

Fifty percent of the schools selected are elementary schools; 24 percent are high school, 24 percent are middle schools and two percent are Pre-K to 12. This mirrors the ratio of elementary, middle, high school and all grade level schools in the state. For the first time, the list of nominated schools also includes two charter schools.

The nominated schools will now complete a rigorous application process. Announcements of the award winners will be made in September 2009. Schools that receive the prestigious award are recognized at the NCLB-Blue Ribbon School conference in Washington, D.C., in October.