Blue ribbon Blue ribbon The blue ribbon is a symbol of high quality. The association comes from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners and, prior to that from Cordon Bleu, which referred to the blue ribbon worn by a particular order of knights. The spelling "blue riband" is still encountered in most English-speaking countries, but in the United States, the term was altered to "blue ribbon", and ribbons of this color came to be awarded for first place in certain athletic or other competitive endeavours (such as county and state fairs).
National Blue Ribbon Schools Program or strongly improving student scores on state or nationally normed assessments in the last year tested; schools must also make Annual Yearly Progress in accordance with No Child Left Behind. Nominated schools submit applications describing school operations such as the use of assessments and assessment data, instructional methods, curricula, professional development, leadership, and community and family involvement. A total of 420 schools may be nominated in any year; state quotas are determined by numbers of students and schools. The Blue Ribbon award is considered the highest honor an American school can achieve. A school's use of the National Blue Ribbon