The Trump administration has abruptly ended one of the nation’s most prestigious education honors: the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. The decision, announced August 29, means that no schools will be named Blue Ribbon winners in 2025—even though states had already submitted nominations and, in some cases, notified schools they had been selected.
A Four-Decade Legacy
Founded in 1982 under Education Secretary Terrel H. Bell, the Blue Ribbon Program celebrated schools excelling academically or closing achievement gaps. Over the years, it became a defining mark of excellence—schools displayed the emblem, and it carried real weight with parents, teachers, and communities.

In Brevard County, 16 public schools have earned this distinction, several more than once: