Bill > SRes568

This resolution recognizes and celebrates the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, which was created in 1982 during the Reagan Administration to honor schools for academic excellence and progress in closing achievement gaps. The resolution highlights that the program has recognized over 9,000 public and private schools and was considered the highest federal honor for educational institutions in the United States. It specifically acknowledges the 28 schools from Illinois selected for the 2025 designation, and expresses concern about the Department of Education's decision to discontinue the program on August 29, 2025. The resolution commends educators, administrators, and communities for their hard work in achieving this recognition and calls upon the Secretary of Education to reinstate the Blue Ribbon Schools program. This is particularly important given the recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (or "Nation's Report Card") which showed that high school seniors' reading and mathematics scores have fallen to their lowest levels in two decades. Despite the program's discontinuation, the resolution notes that states and communities continue to recognize exemplary schools at local and state levels.

Health and Social Services

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-resolution/568/all-info