National Blue Ribbon School: 

2006, 2016 and 2023 !

In order to encourage excellence in education, the United States Department of Education awards the National Blue Ribbon School award to outstanding elementary, middle, and high schools around the country.  

The United States Department of Education has recognized Prince of Peace Catholic School in Plano as a National Blue Ribbon School three times: the first in 2006, the second in 2016 and most recently in 2023.  

To put this achievement in perspective, only 40 private or parochial schools were chosen for recognition in 2023. To win the award once is a great honor. To win it twice is rare. But as of 2023, of the nation's 36,000 private schools, elementary and high school, only 53 have been named a Blue Ribbon School three or more times, including just 6 schools in Texas and only 3 in the DFW area. 

To be considered, a school must be nominated by the Commissioner of Education. Nominated campuses are selected through an analysis of student assessment and student demographic data. Schools are recognized as “Exemplary High Performing” if their average student achievement in English and mathematics at each grade level are among the highest in the country,  measured against a state or nationally normed test. Specifically, the average score in every grade, 1st through 8th, must be at the 85th percentile or higher in Math and English. POP students met this standard on the basis of their performance on the IOWA Assessment.

This is the moment when Principal Meghan Jones announced the 2023 Blue Ribbon Award to the POP Student Body: