East Penn’s Shoemaker Elementary has been named a Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School, one of just a dozen across the state and the only winner from the Lehigh Valley.
Winning schools must rank in the top 15% statewide for academic growth, show progress for all assessed student groups, maintain high attendance rates, and meet accountability standards for their special education programs.
“Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon Schools create the conditions for student success by providing a supportive, welcoming, and safe environment for all learners,” Pa. Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe said in a news release. “This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication these schools put into ensuring learners can grow, thrive, and achieve both now and in the future.”
The Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon School award started in 2025 after the U.S. Department of Education ended the National Blue Ribbon Schools program that had run since 1982.
Here’s the full list of 2026 Pennsylvania Blue Ribbon Schools:
• Downingtown STEM Academy, Downingtown Area School District, Chester County
• North Penn-Liberty Jr./Sr. High School, Southern Tioga School District, Tioga County
• Chestnut Hill Elementary School, Millcreek Township School District, Erie County
• Pleasant Hills Middle School, West Jefferson Hills School District, Allegheny County
• Shoemaker Elementary School, East Penn School District, Lehigh County
• Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School, Seneca Valley School District, Butler County
• Haverford Middle School, Haverford Township School District, Delaware County
• Skippack Elementary School, Perkiomen Valley School District, Montgomery County
• Eisenhower Elementary School, Upper St. Clair School District, Allegheny County
• Franklin Elementary School, North Allegheny School District, Allegheny County
• Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County, Lackawanna County
• Norwood Fontbonne Academy, Philadelphia County