Five Iowa schools will be recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022 by the U.S. Department of Education. The schools receiving the recognition are Mount Ayr Elementary, Prairie Trail Elementary in the Ankeny Community School District, Van Meter High School, Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School and West Elementary School in the Glenwood Community School District. The award honors schools for overall academic performance or for progress in closing achievement gaps among subgroups of students. The award recognizes schools in one of two performance categories, based on all student scores, subgroup student scores and graduation rates. Exemplary High-Performing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests. Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools are among their state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students.