▁the ▁competition ▁over ▁the ▁years . ▁Special ▁em ph ases ▁have ▁changed ▁from ▁year ▁to ▁year ▁based ▁on ▁national ▁prior ities . ▁Among ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁there ▁is ▁much ▁divers ity : ▁the ▁award ▁recogn izes ▁rural , ▁urban , ▁and ▁sub urban ▁schools ; ▁large ▁and ▁small ▁schools , ▁and ▁public ▁and ▁non - public ▁schools . ▁ ▁C riteria ▁The ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁Program ▁accepts ▁nomin ations ▁of ▁both ▁public ▁and ▁non - public ▁schools ▁that ▁meet ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁criteria : ▁ ▁• <0x09> Ex empl ary ▁High ▁Perform ing ▁School s ▁are ▁among ▁their ▁state ’ s ▁highest ▁performing ▁schools ▁as ▁measured ▁by ▁state ▁assess ments ▁or ▁nation ally ▁norm ed ▁tests . ▁▁ ▁• <0x09> Ex empl ary ▁Ach iev ement ▁G ap - C los ing ▁School s ▁are ▁among ▁their ▁state ’ s ▁highest ▁performing ▁schools ▁in ▁closing ▁achiev ement ▁g aps ▁between ▁a ▁school ’ s ▁sub groups ▁and ▁all ▁students ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁five ▁years . ▁▁ ▁El ig ible ▁schools ▁must ▁have ▁been ▁in ▁existence ▁for ▁five ▁years ▁and ▁cannot ▁have ▁received ▁the ▁award ▁within ▁the ▁five ▁prior ▁years . ▁ ▁Must ▁have ▁excell ence ▁in ▁the ▁fields ▁of ▁academ ics , ▁arts ▁and ▁athlet ics . ▁ ▁Application ▁procedure ▁Although ▁at ▁one ▁time ▁schools ▁self - n omin ated ▁for ▁the ▁award , ▁this ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁the ▁case . ▁At ▁the ▁inv itation ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Education , ▁Chief ▁State