Two Geary USD 475 elementary schools are among five in Kansas that have been designated National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2017, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy Devos announced on Thursday.

They are Eisenhower Elementary School and Sheridan Elementary School. The others in Kansas include Gardner Elementary School in Gardner Edgerton USD 231, Ruth Clark Elementary School, Haysville USD 261 and Wineteer Elementary School, Derby USD 260.

The award is based on the school’s overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

“These five schools represent the great quality of education taking place throughout Kansas,” said Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson.

The Blue Ribbon program recognizes public and private elementary, middle and high schools in one of two performance categories, Exemplary High Performing and Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing. All five Kansas schools were in the Exemplary High Performing category.

The Blue Ribbon program is in its 35th year and has bestowed the award on more than 8,500 schools. The U.S. Department of Education will formally recognize the schools at an awards ceremony Nov. 6-7 in Washington D.C.

This year a total of 342 schools nationally were recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2017.