We, the undersigned parents, educators, alumni, students, and community members, respectfully petition the U.S. Department of Education to recognize and honor the 2025 National Blue Ribbon School cohort.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, established in 1982, has long stood as the nation’s highest symbol of educational excellence. It affirms the efforts of schools that exemplify outstanding teaching, strong leadership, and measurable student success. This recognition has inspired schools, validated families, and strengthened communities for more than four decades.

Earlier this year, hundreds of schools across the United States were nominated, applied, and were selected for the 2025 cohort. These schools underwent a rigorous process and met the high bar of excellence required for this distinction. Teachers devoted countless hours, students pushed themselves to new heights, and entire communities rallied in support, believing that their work would culminate in the honor they had earned.

For the program to be canceled so suddenly, after schools had already been named to the 2025 cohort, is profoundly unfair. It disregards the sacrifices of teachers, the extraordinary efforts of students, and the pride of families who stood behind them. Ending the program without acknowledging this year’s awardees diminishes the very purpose of the recognition: to celebrate achievement, inspire innovation, and uplift communities.

We respectfully urge the Department of Education to:

• Officially honor and publish the names of the 2025 National Blue Ribbon Schools, preserving the legacy of this distinction.
• Provide certificates, letters, or another form of federal acknowledgment to the schools selected this year.
• Ensure that the work of the 2025 cohort is not erased from the history of the program, even as decisions are made about its future. 

This petition is not about one school alone. It is about all schools nationwide who earned their place in the 2025 National Blue Ribbon Schools cohort. Their dedication, integrity, and excellence should not be quietly discarded. The children who worked so hard deserve to see their success recognized, their teachers deserve to have their leadership validated, and their communities deserve the pride of this national honor.