Every day, teachers and staff around the country work endlessly to ensure that students are maximizing the daily experiences they have at school. Teachers and staff all wear many different hats and go above and beyond to make the school day run smoothly and maximize strong academic outcomes for students. 

Since 1982, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has run a mission to recognize the great work being done at schools across the nation and award the top, most outstanding schools for the work they are doing for the benefit of their students. According to the Department of Education, the purpose of the program is as follows: 

“The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.”

This year, 23 charter schools are amongst the top schools in the nation being recognized with this award. The President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Nina Rees, released the following statement: 

“Congratulations to the 23 public charter schools recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools this year! These exemplary schools are closing achievement gaps and helping students realize that there is no limit to their potential. The dedicated teachers and principals leading these schools are an inspiration to us all. We’re grateful for their work and we urge policymakers at all levels of government to recognize the outstanding contribution high-quality charter schools are making to public education.”

As an alumni of a local charter school, I have first hand experience with the individualized care and attention that the charter network has brought to my home community. I witnessed my teachers work daily to ensure that the students who needed the most support were able to get it and achieve the success that drove the school’s mission. With the anti-charter sentiments being experienced throughout the nation and in California especially, it’s important that we recognize the great work being done by public charters across the nation to ensure equitable outcomes for students.

The following two tabs change content below.

• Bio
• Latest Posts

Daniela Felix

Daniela is a first generation college student who is heavily involved in education in her home district, West Contra Costa Unified. After becoming a mother at a young age, Daniela’s passion for education justice only intensified and she began to fight for an equitable education for all children, regardless of background or zip code. Daniela played a key role in organizing parents with the California Charter Schools Association and is a firm believer in school choice for all families. She is currently a Lead Organizer with Students for Education Reform, organizing college students around education justice issues in her home district. She was recently accepted into Teach for America and plans to continue impacting the lives of children in her hometown of Richmond, CA as a high school social studies teacher. Daniela is a UC Berkeley senior pursuing her B.A. in Legal Studies and Education along with her 4 year old daughter and husband. Daniela is a firm believer in that every single child is capable of meeting high expectations if given the correct support. Daniela hopes to be a provider of that support.

Latest posts by Daniela Felix (see all)

• The Importance of Mid Year Data for Teachers, Students, and Families - December 18, 2019
• Las Familias Deben Participar en la Mejora de los Resultados de las Pruebas SBAC de California - December 10, 2019
• La Guia de los Aprendices de Inglés de California es un Recurso Útil para los Maestros - December 4, 2019
• California’s English Learner Roadmap Is a Helpful Resource for Teachers - December 2, 2019
• Families Need To Be Involved in Improving California’s SBAC Test Results - November 27, 2019