28 Illinois Schools Receive State Blue Ribbon Award

Gov. Pritzker establishes new state-level program after national version was abolished.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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Illinois honored 28 schools, including 11 suburban public and private institutions, with the inaugural Governor's Blue Ribbon Schools awards at a ceremony in Springfield. The new state-level program was established after the Trump administration closed the national Blue Ribbon Schools program in 2025.

Why it matters

The Blue Ribbon Schools award is a prestigious recognition of academic excellence, and the new state-level program allows Illinois to continue celebrating top-performing schools after the national program was eliminated. This maintains a high standard for educational achievement in the state.

The details

The 28 award recipients included 15 public schools and 13 private schools, spanning grades K-12. Among the public school winners were several suburban institutions like William Fremd High School, Kennedy Junior High, and Sarah Adams Elementary. Private schools recognized included Ascension Catholic, St. Giles, and Wheaton Academy.

  • The Governor's Blue Ribbon Schools program was established in October 2025, shortly after the national program was abolished.
  • The 28 Illinois schools were honored at an awards ceremony at the Governor's Mansion on March 5, 2026.

The players

JB Pritzker

The Governor of Illinois who established the new state-level Blue Ribbon Schools program.

Donald Trump

The former U.S. President whose administration abolished the national Blue Ribbon Schools program in 2025.

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What they’re saying

“Twenty-eight outstanding schools are represented here tonight, recognized for the prestigious distinction that's based upon the rigorous criteria, the same ones that were used by the Department of Education, so you have met and exceeded those really high standards.”

— JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois (dailyherald.com)

“I believe that this level of educational excellence really should be celebrated at every opportunity. We should be constantly uplifting our students and our teachers, our administrators and the school's achievements and successes. Each and every day, you come to school eager to support your students, their safety, their growth, their well-being. You put forward your best efforts, and you commit yourselves to, well, making their lives better.”

— JB Pritzker, Governor of Illinois (dailyherald.com)

What’s next

The Illinois State Board of Elections will manage the application and awards process for the Governor's Blue Ribbon Schools program in the coming years.

The takeaway

The new state-level Blue Ribbon Schools program in Illinois allows the state to continue recognizing academic excellence in its schools after the national version was eliminated, maintaining high standards for education in the state.