California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond recognized eight Los Angeles County schools as California Blue Ribbon Schools.

These schools were originally nominated for the National Blue Ribbon Schools program. But the U.S. Department of Education recently discontinued the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, so instead, the schools are being honored with a California Blue Ribbon Schools designation.

California Blue Ribbon Schools program was established to recognize certified nominees of the canceled National Blue Ribbon Schools program, and will be awarded for this year only.

As a background, schools chosen for the National Blue Ribbon honor were judged on overall academic performance or the school’s progress in bringing up academic scores from student subgroups. The two categories are based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates.

Los Angeles County’s 2025 California Blue Ribbon Schools:

Willowbrook Middle School — Compton Unified School District

Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School — Glendale Unified School DistrictChamlian Armenian School — Glendale Unified School District

Lucille J. Smith Elementary School — Lawndale Elementary School District

Clover Avenue Elementary School — Los Angeles Unified School District

Third Street Elementary School — Los Angeles Unified School District

Pantera Elementary School — Pomona Unified School District

Arroyo Seco Junior High School — William S. Hart Union High School District

The schools will be formally honored in spring 2026 at the California School Recognition Program celebration.

The California Department of Education will recognize schools through other programs such as California Distinguished Schools.

The list of all 31 California schools designated as 2025 California Blue Ribbon Schools is at tinyurl.com/cc7kerbc.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program, established in 1982, recognized public and private schools from 1982-2024, with more than 10,000 awards going to more than 9,000 schools — some schools having won multiple awards.

In the past, schools awarded the national honor were able to fly the National Blue Ribbon School flag or display it in their school’s entryway.

Information on the program from the California Department of Education is at cde.ca.gov/TA/sr/br/index.asp.

In addition, California’s National Blue Ribbon Schools awardees by year 2000-2024 are at cde.ca.gov/TA/sr/br/awardees.asp.

Schools honored nationally 1982-2018 are at www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/list-2003.pdf.