Des Moines, Iowa (RI) — Three of the state’s elementary schools (one of them in our area) and a middle school are in the inaugural 2025 class of “Iowa Blue Ribbon Schools.”
Governor Kim Reynolds led a ceremony in Des Moines to honor schools in the Albia, Dubuque, George-Little Rock, and College Community districts.
Iowa Department of Education director McKenzie Snow says the four schools recognized are models of excellence.
In 2018, George-Little Rock’s elementary was identified as one of the state’s lowest-performing schools, but state officials say all students are now performing at high levels. Amanda Miller is the district’s superintendent.
Albia’s middle school was recognized for its efforts to raise student test scores. The district’s junior high students, for example, exceed the statewide proficiency score in science by 22 points.
Prairie Hill Elementary in the College Community District in Cedar Rapids has been recognized for dramatically reducing chronic absenteeism. Principal Scott Schippersays a few years ago, 17 percent of students had been chronically absent — and it’s now five percent. That’s 10 points below the state average.
The Dubuque Community School District’s Bryant Elementary is being recognized for the rising reading scores of kindergarten through fifth-grade students, as two-thirds of those students are exceeding expectations according to state officials.
The Trump Administration ended the national “Blue Ribbon” program honoring high-performing schools this summer. Iowa officials announced the winners of their inaugural Iowa Blue Ribbon Schools program Wednesday afternoon.
KIWA Staff Photo
