This year, 12 Florida schools won National Blue Ribbon School designations from the federal government.
This year’s winners have one of two things in common. They’re either schools of choice (charter, magnet or magnet-like, private), or they’re part of the Brevard County school district.
We’re a bit late to the news. We missed the announcement when it came last week. But it’s worth noting because it continues a familiar pattern from previous years. Magnet and charter schools are over-represented among Florida’s award-winning schools.
The annual federal awards come in two categories: Schools that excel closing achievement gaps for disadvantaged students, and those with high overall student achievement.
Florida has more schools in both categories than it in the past several years. Once again, there several Miami-Dade charters on the list. There are also multiple charters (Doral and Somerset) operated by the management company Academica.There’s also a Lake County private school, a charter school operated by St. Petersburg College, and a pair of Marion County magnet schools.
The three Brevard district-run schools include a selective-admissions high school that requires parent volunteer hours, an arts magnet and a neighborhood elementary school.
Caring & Sharing Learning School (Alachua, charter)
Edgewood Junior Senior High School (Brevard, specialized school for high-achieving students and involved parents)
Robert L. Stevenson Elementary School (Brevard, arts magnet)
Manatee Elementary School (Brevard, neighborhood)
Somerset Academy Davie (Broward, charter)
Mount Dora Christian Academy Elementary School (Lake, private)
Dr. N.H. Jones Elementary School (Marion, STEAM magnet)
Madison Street Academy of Visual and Performing Arts (Marion, arts magnet)
AcadeMir Charter School West (Miami‐Dade, charter)
International Studies Charter Middle School (Miami‐Dade, charter)
Doral Academy of Technology (Miami-Dade, charter)
St. Petersburg Collegiate High School (Pinellas, charter)
