Chicago, (Sept. 23, 2025) – A record-breaking number of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago have met the criteria for the prestigious National Blue Ribbon School Award, given annually by the U.S. Department of Education since 1982, and 10 schools were informed in August that they would receive the honor this year.

In an August 29 letter to state education chiefs, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it is discontinuing the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, effective immediately.

Under the program, each year the secretary of education would invite the Council for American Private Education (CAPE) to nominate private schools that meet the criteria for recognition.

Ten Catholic schools and two other suburban Christian schools, that recently were told they met the criteria for the prestigious National Blue Ribbon School Award, are celebrating the win despite the U.S. Department of Education ending the program.