This Fresno high school captured a national Blue Ribbon award for academic excellence

Fresno’s University High School captured national honors on Tuesday, landing on the U.S. Department of Education’s list of “Blue Ribbon Schools.”

University High was one of 28 California schools awarded the Blue Ribbon designation by U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes schools “based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups,” education officials said.

The small musical charter high school on the Fresno State campus was recognized in the overall academic excellence category.

University High is no stranger to national recognition.

Earlier this year, U.S. News and World Report named University High the ninth best high school in California and one of the top 100 high schools in the nation. The school also was ranked the 20th best charter school in the U.S.

During the 2018/19 school year, more than 98% of graduates performed well on state language arts testing, and more than 87% met or exceeded state mathematics standards, according to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress.

The school, which opened in 2000, enrolled about 488 students. Typically, the school accepts about 135 new students each year through its annual lottery.

University High is also one of Five California Distinguished Schools awarded to Fresno Unified in 2021, the statement said.

The school is located on the Fresno State campus, and students begin to take courses at the university during their sophomore year.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Read more from The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.