Shoemaker Elementary Named 2026 Blue Ribbon School
The East Penn School District school is one of twelve Pennsylvania schools honored in the state's new Blue Ribbon program.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Secondary Education
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The Pennsylvania Department of Education named Shoemaker Elementary School in Lehigh County a 2026 Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School. It is one of twelve Pennsylvania schools recognized this year and the only winner from the Lehigh Valley.
Why it matters
The award recognizes schools that rank in the top 15% statewide for academic growth, show progress for all assessed student groups, maintain high attendance and meet special education accountability standards. It marks the state's continuation of school recognition after the U.S. Department of Education ended the national program.
Twelve schools statewide received the 2026 designation, and winners must rank in the top 15% statewide for academic growth. Shoemaker Elementary is the only winner from the Lehigh Valley, though the source does not detail its individual results.
The players
Pennsylvania Department of Education
The state agency that administers public education policy and conferred the 2026 Blue Ribbon School designations.
Shoemaker Elementary School
A public elementary school in the East Penn School District in Lehigh County named a 2026 Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School.
The details
Winning schools must show progress for all assessed student groups, maintain high attendance rates and meet accountability standards for their special education programs. The Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School award began in 2025 after the U.S. Department of Education ended the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, which had run since 1982.
Timeline
1982: The National Blue Ribbon Schools program began.
2025: The Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School award started.
November 9, 2026: Shoemaker Elementary was named a 2026 Blue Ribbon School.
Season Trajectory
The Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School award, which began in 2025, arose after the U.S. Department of Education ended the National Blue Ribbon Schools program that had run since 1982. The state's new award carries forward that recognition model with its own academic growth and accountability criteria.
Families in Pennsylvania can use the published eligibility criteria, including academic growth rankings, attendance and special education accountability, to understand what distinguishes recognized schools. The designation signals areas of school performance that parents may want to ask about when comparing local options.
The takeaway
The Blue Ribbon designation rewards measured academic growth and equitable progress across student groups rather than raw test scores alone. Parents evaluating schools can look for those same indicators when comparing options in their area.
Further reading
Explore more on Secondary Education for context on school recognition programs in Pennsylvania.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Morning Call.
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