Official Site of The State of New Jersey

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program (NBRS) annually honored America’s most successful public and non-public elementary, middle and high schools. NBRS recognized both schools whose students achieved at very high levels and schools that made significant progress in closing academic achievement gaps among different groups of students.

Each year, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) reviewed the data for all public schools in the state and nominated schools that met the eligibility requirements provided by the U.S. Department of Education (USED). Non-public schools were nominated by the Council of American Private Education (CAPE). There was no application process to be considered for nomination, as all public schools in the state were considered each year.

New Jersey could nominate up to nine public schools each year across two categories: “Exemplary High Performing Schools” and “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools”. NJDOE could choose each year to nominate schools in one or both categories. At least one-third of the schools nominated were required to have a high percentage of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Due to these restrictions, there may have been schools that met the eligibility requirements that could not be nominated.

• Serves one or more of grades K–12
• Open for five full years and assessed grades have been part of the school for at least three years prior to September 2024.
• Has not received the National Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five years (2020-2024)
• Has at least 100 students enrolled and assessment data for at least 10 students per grade
• Met most recent annual targets for statewide assessment performance and graduation rate
• School assessment participation rates are at least 95%
• No history of testing irregularities
• Not identified as “persistently dangerous” within the last two years
• Has not refused Office of Civil Rights (OCR) access to information necessary and was not issued an OCR violation
• No pending suit alleging violation of one or more of the civil rights statutes of the Constitution’s equal protection clause
• No findings of violations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
• Has a nondiscrimination policy and has no outstanding findings of unlawful discrimination

• School is in the top 15% of the state based on a composite score that combines performance on the 2023–2024 statewide assessment with other measures
• Each historically underserved student group is in the top 40% of the state based on a composite score that combines performance on the 2023–2024 statewide assessment with other measures.
• High schools are in the top 15% of the state based on 2023 graduation rate and a measure of College and Career readiness (as part of a composite score).

• One or more historically underserved student group is in the top 15% of the state based an increase in performance on the 2023–2024 statewide assessment compared to two to four years before
• Each historically underserved student group is in the top 40% of the state based on a composite score that combines performance on the 2023–2024 statewide assessment with other measures.
• Each historically underserved student group is in the top 40% of the state based on 2023 graduation rate and a measure of College and Career Readiness (as part of a composite score).
• Schoolwide improvement on the statewide assessment must equal or exceed statewide improvement.