U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan made the announcement Tuesday.

 

North Carolina public schools receiving this prestigious recognition are:

 

-- Briarcliff Elementary, Wake County Public Schools

 

-- Caldwell Early College, Caldwell County Schools

 

-- Raleigh Charter, Wake County

 

-- Shoals Elementary, Surry County Schools

 

-- West Elementary, Cleveland County Schools.

 

“These great schools are fulfilling the promise of American education—that all students, no matter their name or zip code, can flourish when schools provide safe, creative and challenging learning environments,” Secretary Duncan said in a news release distributed by the Department of Public Instruction.

 

National Blue Ribbon Schools are recognized in one of two performance categories:

 

Exemplary High Performing Schools. Schools are among the state’s highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally-normed tests. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates also are at the highest levels.

 

Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools. Schools are among their state’s highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s subgroups and all students over the past five years. Student subgroup performance and high school graduation rates for each subgroup are at high levels.