. ▁The ▁schools ▁are ▁urban , ▁sub urban , ▁and ▁rural , ▁large ▁and ▁small , ▁traditional ▁and ▁innov ative , ▁and ▁serve ▁students ▁of ▁every ▁social , ▁economic , ▁and ▁eth nic ▁background . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁then - Secret ary ▁of ▁Education ▁Ter rel ▁H . ▁Bell , ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁commission ing ▁ ▁A ▁Nation ▁at ▁R isk , ▁described ▁a ▁“ ris ing ▁t ide ” ▁of ▁medi oc re ▁schools ▁that ▁threatened ▁the ▁nation ’ s ▁future . ▁ ▁Secretary ▁Bell ▁created ▁the ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁Award ▁to ▁bring ▁exempl ary ▁U . S . ▁schools ▁to ▁public ▁attention ▁and ▁to ▁recognize ▁those ▁schools ▁whose ▁students ▁th riv ed ▁and ▁excel led . ▁Working ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Element ary ▁School ▁Princi p als ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Second ary ▁School ▁Princi p als , ▁Bell ▁launched ▁the ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Princi p als ▁Program s . ▁Both ▁programs ▁highlight ed ▁out standing ▁models ▁of ▁American ▁schools ▁and ▁school ▁leadership . ▁ ▁Initial ly , ▁the ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁program ▁hon ored ▁only ▁secondary ▁schools ; ▁it ▁ ▁was ▁later ▁expanded ▁to ▁include ▁primary ▁schools . ▁It ▁was ▁changed ▁again ▁to ▁honor ▁secondary ▁schools ▁and ▁primary ▁schools ▁in ▁alternate ▁years ▁and ▁now ▁hon ors ▁secondary , ▁middle , ▁elementary , ▁and ▁K - 8 ▁and ▁K - 1 2 ▁schools ▁each ▁year . ▁In ▁