During a recent government meeting, officials celebrated the recognition of Hughes School as a National Blue Ribbon School, marking a significant achievement in educational excellence. This award, which has been presented by the U.S. Department of Education for 40 years, acknowledges schools that demonstrate exemplary performance or significant progress in closing achievement gaps.

Hughes School is now the third institution in the county to receive this honor, joining the ranks of Gordon School, awarded in 2015, and MJ Kellogg School, which received the accolade shortly after the program's inception. The nomination process requires schools to be put forward by their state education department, followed by a rigorous evaluation by the U.S. Education Department.

The principal highlighted that Hughes was recognized for its success in closing achievement gaps, a notable turnaround from its previous designation as a focus school due to underperformance in this area. The school’s progress is attributed to consistent efforts over the past 12 years, with a focus on improving standardized test scores.

Data presented during the meeting revealed that Hughes outperformed similar demographic schools by significant margins, achieving 74% passing rates in state assessments for grades 3 to 5. The principal emphasized the importance of comparing performance against schools with similar socioeconomic backgrounds to accurately assess progress.

The meeting underscored the importance of sustained efforts in education, with officials expressing pride in the school's journey from struggling to achieving national recognition. The principal noted that the award reflects not just current success but years of hard work and dedication from staff and students alike.