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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott named George West Primary School one of only 28 Lone Star Ribbon Schools in the state on Sept. 29.
The Lone Star Ribbon School award recognizes schools with outstanding academic performance and efforts to close achievement gaps. The George West Independent School District, located in Live Oak County, was the only school in Education Service Center Region 2 to earn the honor for 2025.
The Lone Star Ribbon School recognition is a new program. Previously, the U.S. Department of Education honored “National Blue Ribbon Schools.”
The long-standing program honored high-performing schools with significant improvements in student achievement, with honored schools nominated by their state. But in August the U.S. Department of Education announced it was ending the program.
The new Lone Star Ribbon School name represents a transition to Texas leadership. A news release from the governor states that the transition is part of the Education Department’s efforts to return control of education to the states.
“This recognition reflects the hard work of our teachers, the perseverance of our students and the steadfast support of parents and communities,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a Sept. 29 news release. “We applaud their achievement and thank Governor Abbott for recognizing and celebrating their success.”
The full list of honorees is available online. Twenty-six public and charter schools were honored, as well as two private schools.
The Texas Education Agency assigned George West Primary School a 95 out of 100 for the 2024-25 school year. The school earned distinctions for academic achievement in reading and math, postsecondary readiness and closing the gaps.
The school has about 400 students, with 63.5% considered economically disadvantaged. It has remained an A-rated district for several years, maintaining high ratings through an overhaul of the state accountability system in 2022.
Last year, 87% of tested students met grade level or above in math and 84% did in reading at George West Primary School.