2 0 0 3 , ▁the ▁program ▁was ▁rest ruct ured ▁to ▁bring ▁it ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁the ▁No ▁Child ▁Left ▁Be hind ▁Education ▁Law , ▁placing ▁a ▁stronger ▁emphas is ▁on ▁state ▁assess ment ▁data ▁and ▁requiring ▁schools ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁high ▁academic ▁success . ▁School s ▁must ▁show ▁how ▁data ▁are ▁interpreted ▁and ▁used ▁and ▁how ▁curr icul um , ▁instruction , ▁professional ▁development , ▁and ▁student ▁support ▁promote ▁student ▁success . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁the ▁program ▁was ▁renamed ▁the ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁program ▁to ▁distinguish ▁it ▁from ▁a ▁for - pro fit ▁company ▁which ▁had ▁appropri ated ▁the ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School ▁name . ▁ ▁During ▁its ▁first ▁ 2 5 ▁years ▁of ▁existence , ▁the ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁Award ▁was ▁granted ▁approximately ▁ 5 , 6 0 0 ▁times , ▁recogn izing ▁ 5 , 2 0 0 ▁different ▁schools . ▁( Some ▁schools ▁have ▁been ▁selected ▁two ▁or ▁more ▁times .) ▁More ▁than ▁ 1 3 3 , 0 0 0 ▁public , ▁char ter , ▁private ▁and ▁par och ial ▁schools ▁serving ▁gr ades ▁K - 1 2 ▁are ▁el ig ible ▁for ▁the ▁award . ▁ ▁More ▁than ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁schools ▁have ▁been ▁hon ored ▁as ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁since ▁the ▁program ' s ▁in ception . ▁ ▁States , ▁territ ories , ▁the ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Indian ▁Affairs , ▁and ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Def ense ▁Education ▁Activity ▁schools ▁have ▁joined