School Recognitions

School Recognitions

Published: 10/26/2026 11:46 AM

​​​​​​​​National Blue Ribbon Schools​​

The U.S. Department of Education administered the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, which recognized public and private elementary, middle and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups, for 43 years.

In 2025, just before the announcement naming the 2025 National Blue Ribbon Schools, the program abruptly ended. At that time, four Kentucky elementary schools met the criteria to be named National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education. Read more about the 2024 National Blue Ribbon School award winners on Kentucky Teacher.

The four Kentucky elementary schools, which ordinarily would have been recognized by the federal program in a ceremony in Washington, were honored at the Kentucky Board of Education meeting on Dec. 4, 2025. Read more about the 2025 qualifying National Blue Ribbon Schools on Kentucky Teacher. 

The Kentucky schools recognized were:
 
  • Tamarack Elementary School (Daviess County);
  • Graves County Central Elementary School;
  • Maxwell Immersion Spanish Elementary School (Fayette County); and
  • Meadowthorpe Elementary School (Fayette County).

Kentucky Public National Blue Ribbon Schools

2024

  • Corbin Middle School (Corbin Independent)
  • Cold Hill Elementary School (Laurel County)
  • Lone Oak Elementary School (McCracken County)
  • Northern Elementary School (Pulaski County)
  • Shirley Mann Elementary School (Boone County)​

2023

  • Cassidy Elementary School (Fayette County)
  • Drakes Creek Middle School (Warren County)
  • Farmington Elementary School (Graves County)
  • Potter Gray Elementary School (Bowling Green Independent)
  • Russell High School (Russell Independent)

2022

  • Cairo Elementary School (Henderson County)
  • Fancy Farm Elementary (Graves County)
  • Frankfort High (Frankfort Independent)
  • Longbranch Elementary (Boone County)
  • Samuel Woodfill Elementary (Fort Thomas Independent)

2021

  • Anchorage Independent School (Anchorage Independent)
  • Gamaliel Elementary (Monroe County)
  • Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary) (Jefferson County)
  • Heath Elementary (McCracken County)
  • Rosa Parks Elementary (Fayette County)


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​​​Awards and Recognition Programs
Office of the Commissioner
Division of Communications 
300 Sower Boulevard
(502) 564-2000

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Qualifying National Blue Ribbon Schools

Four Kentucky schools were honored at the Kentucky Board of Education's (KBE) meeting on Dec. 4, 2025, for qualifying as National Blue Ribbon Schools. From left: Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher; Maxwell Spanish Immersion Elementary School (Fayette County) teacher Lisa Hicks, Instructional Media Coach David Mato and Principal Matthew Spottswood; Graves County Central Elementary School Principal Keri Cornwell, Assistant Principal Stephenie Wheller and teacher Deena Green; Tamarack Elementary School (Daviess County) Instructional Coach Kristy Bean and Assistant Principal Jessica Morris; Meadowthorpe Elementary School (Fayette County) Principal Stephanie Price and Assistant Principal Tamara Forsyth; and KBE Chair Sharon Porter Robinson. Photo by Myles Young, Kentucky Department of Education​​


Representatives from Cairo Elementary School are honored at the 2022 National Blue Ribbon Schools awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Education.​​​

Read more about the 2023 National Blue Ribbon School award winners on Kentucky Teacher.​​