EVERETT, OCT. 2: Faculty at Whittier Elementary were not expecting district Superintendent Dr. Ian Saltzman and regional Superintendent Dr. Cathy Woods to attend their regular staff meeting, let alone with balloons and cupcakes in hand.
The north Everett school had just learned it had achieved one of the highest distinctions in education: the Blue Ribbon Award. Fewer than 1% of schools nationwide earn the recognition each year, Everett Public Schools (EPS) said in a press release.
“Kudos to your amazing faculty, principal, assistant principal, paraprofessionals, and parents. This is monumental for this community,” Dr. Saltzman told staff Friday, Sept. 26. “The entire Whittier Family is the recipient of this award. When you get home tonight, you brag about it. Thank you for what you do for these kids and for this school.”
But the celebration came with a bitter twist. Just days after Whittier Elementary was confirmed as a recipient, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) announced it was discontinuing the program altogether.
In a letter sent to state school chiefs, department communications official Madie Biedermann said the move reflected “the spirit of Returning Education to the States,” with the belief that state leaders are better positioned to recognize achievement than a “one-size-fits-all standard established by a distant bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.”
The Blue Ribbon Award, established in the 1980s, recognizes schools with exceptional academic achievement and success in closing achievement gaps. Whittier Elementary would have been the first of the Everett Public Schools to earn the honor.
“Whittier will always be a Blue Ribbon school,” Dr. Saltzman said. “This staff works tirelessly to ensure students achieve at the highest levels, and they earned this recognition. I am incredibly proud of them.”
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal echoed that praise in the press release, saying, “The Blue Ribbon Schools Award recognized schools that truly moved the needle for student achievement. My office was proud to nominate Whittier Elementary for this national honor.”
According to Dr. Woods, Principal Tony Wentworth was notified by the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in February 2025 that Whittier Elementary was one of seven schools nominated out of 295 districts statewide. On Aug. 20, the school received final confirmation of its award. The U.S. Secretary of Education was expected to announce the winners publicly in early September.
From there, Wentworth and his team led a months-long application process that included compiling demographic data, crafting a detailed narrative of the school’s community and culture, highlighting innovative programs, and submitting an in-depth overview of the curriculum.
“Tony basically wrote a dissertation about Whittier,” Dr. Woods said.
Whittier’s application highlights the school’s strengths, from strong teaching across core subjects to a support system that uses data to make sure students get help when they need it. It also pointed to enrichment opportunities like literature circles and hands-on science labs, along with inclusive strategies designed to support multilingual learners and students with disabilities.
Despite the school’s confirmation, on Aug. 29 USED notified state education departments that the program was ending, and by Sept. 25 Principal Wentworth received official word that the federal administration had cut the program effective immediately.
“It is disappointing the national program has ended, but that cannot take away the incredible work from our staff and students every day,” Wentworth said. “It’s an honor to serve alongside such dedicated educators, and I’m grateful for our community that makes Whittier such a special place.”
Whittier Elementary may never walk across the stage in the nation’s capital, but for staff, students, and families, the recognition still stands.
