Ten Louisiana schools have won 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools awards the U.S. Department of Education announced.

Louisiana’s winning schools are located in East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Natchitoches, Vermilion, St. Martin and St. Tammany parishes.

“This national honor speaks to the high expectations and student-first cultures you will find at all of these schools,” State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley said. “I’m proud to have them represent Louisiana and congratulate them on this remarkable accomplishment.”

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors schools that are either high-performing or have narrowed achievement gaps based on assessment data from spring 2019, especially among minority or disadvantaged students.

Three Louisiana public schools were recognized as “Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools” for being among the highest performing in narrowing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students:

• Forked Island – E. Broussard Elementary School, Vermilion Parish
• Indian Bayou Elementary School, Vermilion Parish
• Stephensville Elementary School, St. Martin Parish

Three Louisiana public schools were recognized as “Exemplary High Performing Schools” for being among the highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests:

• Erath High School, Vermilion Parish
• Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, Natchitoches Parish
• Metairie Academy for Advanced Studies, Jefferson Parish

Four Louisiana nonpublic schools received the national honor:

• • Catholic High School, East Baton Rouge Parish
  • Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic School, St. Tammany Parish
  • St. Jude the Apostle School, East Baton Rouge Parish
  • St. Thomas More Catholic High School, Lafayette Parish

The 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony will be held virtually Nov. 12 and 13. The 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. Now in its 38th year, the program has awarded nearly 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools, with some schools winning multiple awards. Schools are eligible for nomination after five years.