The National Blue Ribbon Schools (NBRS) Program is one of the U.S. Department of Education’s longest-running recognition programs. NBRS recognizes outstanding public and non-public elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall high academic achievement or success in closing the achievement gap among diverse groups of students. Since its inception in 1982, the goals of the program are to shine a spotlight on the best schools in the United States and to share best practices of outstanding schools across the country.