WACO, Texas (FOX 44) – CORRECTION: ESC Region 12 has issued a correction in this story.
Bynum School and Valley Mills High School were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Designees in February 2022, and both were named award winners recently. Valley Mills Elementary School received the National Blue Ribbon Award in 2021.
Below is the original story:
Two Central Texas schools are among 31 Texas schools being recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools.
ESC Region 12 announced on Tuesday morning that Bynum School and Valley Mills High School have been given a prestigious honor awarded to exemplary and high-achieving elementary, middle, and high schools for their academic performance or progress in closing the achievement gap. This is the second consecutive year for both schools to receive this national award.
About 297 schools in the U.S are chosen for this honor in 2022 – with 31 being from Texas.
Region 12 says that the U.S Department of Education seeks to uplift great schools across America every year. The program has been in place since 1982, and has bestowed over 10,000 honors to 9,000 schools. The schools nominated need to have a high percentage of students with “disadvantaged backgrounds,” which is determined by the Chief Student Service Officer of each state or use of free and reduced lunch.
For more information regarding the selection process and the award, you can visit the U.S. Department of Education’s official website.