New Horizons Community Charter School in Newark prominently touts being awarded a Blue Ribbon on its website.

But it’s not the prestigious Blue Ribbon bestowed annually by the U.S. Department of Education, which recognizes schools for high performance or making substantial strides in closing the achievement gap.

Last year, the DOE recognized just 356 schools across the country, including 11 in New Jersey. In its 40 year history, some 9,000 schools nationwide have been recognized as Blue Ribbon schools, including seven in Newark over the last quarter of a century.

New Horizons has never been among the Brick City schools to receive a Blue Ribbon from the DOE.

So what gives?

The Blue Ribbon touted by New Horizons is awarded by the Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence Inc. (BRSE), a nonprofi

See Full Page