Torrey Pines Elementary School Named National Blue Ribbon School

Two elementary schools in San Diego are among 15 around California named Tuesday as National Blue Ribbon Schools, according to the state Department of Education.

Ocean Air Elementary School in Carmel Valley, part of the Del Mar Union School District, and Torrey Pines Elementary School in La Jolla, belonging to San Diego Unified, were honored for either being high achieving or having made significant academic improvements.

Students at the high achieving schools are expected to be the among the state's top performers in English and mathematics on standardized tests, while various social and economic subgroups are supposed to score as well as their peers.

"These schools are wonderful illustrations of the work we do here in California schools to prepare our students to thrive in the world they will find outside of our classrooms," said state Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson. "I am proud to see them held up as national examples."

In California, 13 public schools and two private institutions were honored. Nationwide, 236 public schools were named along with 50 private campuses.

The winning schools can display a blue ribbon flag on their campuses. They'll be honored in Washington, D.C., in November.

—City News Service