A resolution recognizing the schools selected as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2025 and celebrating the history of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 568 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 568

 Recognizing the schools selected as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 
  2025 and celebrating the history of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           December 18, 2025

  Mr. Durbin (for himself and Ms. Duckworth) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
                          Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the schools selected as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 
  2025 and celebrating the history of the Blue Ribbon Schools Program.

Whereas the Blue Ribbon Schools program was created by the Reagan Administration 
        in 1982 to provide nationwide recognition of schools for academic 
        excellence and progress in closing achievement gaps;
Whereas the Blue Ribbon Schools program has been considered the highest Federal 
        honor for schools in the United States and has honored more than 9,000 
        public (including charter) and private (including parochial) schools 
        since its inception;
Whereas the Blue Ribbon Schools program validates the work of the educators of 
        the United States, models the best teaching practices across the United 
        States, and inspires schools to adopt similarly rigorous practices;
Whereas the Blue Ribbon Schools program plays an important role in uplifting 
        best practices in closing achievement gaps, especially as the 2024 
        National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly referred to as the 
        ``Nation's Report Card'', showed that average reading and mathematics 
        scores for high school seniors fell to their lowest levels in 2 decades;
Whereas the decision made August 29, 2025, by the Department of Education to 
        discontinue the Blue Ribbon Schools program has eliminated a national 
        spotlight on what works in education;
Whereas despite the decision by the Department of Education, States and 
        communities continue the legacy of the Blue Ribbon Schools program by 
        leading initiatives to recognize their own exemplary schools at the 
        State and local level;
Whereas, before the Department of Education discontinued the Blue Ribbon Schools 
        program in 2025, the schools from the State of Illinois selected for the 
        2025 Blue Ribbon Schools designation included--

    (1) Ascension Catholic School;

    (2) Clarendon Hills Middle School;

    (3) Glen Oaks Elementary School;

    (4) Highlands Elementary School;

    (5) Kennedy Junior High School;

    (6) Liberty Intermediate School;

    (7) Lincoln-Way East High School;

    (8) Lyons Township High School;

    (9) Mascoutah Middle School;

    (10) Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy;

    (11) Pleasantdale Middle School;

    (12) Prescott Elementary School;

    (13) Regina Dominican High School;

    (14) Sarah Adams Elementary School;

    (15) St. Anne Catholic School;

    (16) St. Giles School;

    (17) St. John of the Cross Parish School;

    (18) St. Matthias School;

    (19) St. Norbert School;

    (20) St. Therese Chinese Catholic School;

    (21) Sunset Ridge Elementary School;

    (22) The Academy at St. Joan of Arc;

    (23) Timothy Christian P-8;

    (24) Walker Elementary School;

    (25) Warren Elementary School;

    (26) Wheaton Academy;

    (27) William Fremd High School; and

    (28) Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart; and

Whereas it is imperative that the Senate honors the schools selected to be Blue 
        Ribbon Schools in 2025 from every State and the legacy of the Blue 
        Ribbon Schools program: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) recognizes and celebrates--
                    (A) the schools selected to be 2025 National Blue 
                Ribbon Schools before the Blue Ribbon Schools program 
                was discontinued; and
                    (B) the history of the Blue Ribbon Schools program;
            (2) commends the educators, school administrators, and 
        communities of such schools for their hard work that led to 
        this achievement; and
            (3) calls upon the Secretary of Education to immediately 
        reinstate the Blue Ribbon Schools program.
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