• Five Houston-area schools were nominated by state officials for the national Blue Ribbon honor, an award that recognizes schools for their educational excellence.See Houston's best elementary, middle and high schools for 2017. Photo: Steve Gonzales / © 2016 Houston Chronicle
Photo: Steve Gonzales
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Five Houston-area schools were nominated by state officials for the national Blue Ribbon honor, an award that recognizes schools for their educational excellence.


See Houston's best elementary, middle and high schools for 2017.
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Five Houston-area schools were nominated by state officials for the national Blue Ribbon honor, an award that recognizes schools for their educational excellence.

See Houston's best elementary, middle and high
... more
Photo: Steve Gonzales
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Deretchin Elementary School - Conroe ISD

Houston-area rank: 10
State rank: 28
County: Montgomery 
Deretchin Elementary School - Conroe ISD

Houston-area rank: 10
State rank: 28
County: Montgomery 
Photo: Deretchin Elementary School
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Bess Campbell Elementary School - Lamar CISD

Houston-area rank: 9
State rank: 24
County: Fort Bend
Bess Campbell Elementary School - Lamar CISD

Houston-area rank: 9
State rank: 24
County: Fort Bend
Photo: Bess Campbell Elementary School
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Pope Elementary - Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

Houston-area rank: 8
State rank: 23
County: Harris
Pope Elementary - Cypress-Fairbanks ISD

Houston-area rank: 8
State rank: 23
County: Harris
Photo: Pope Elementary School
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Horn Elementary - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 7
State rank: 16
County: Harris
Horn Elementary - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 7
State rank: 16
County: Harris
Photo: HISD
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Silvercrest Elementary - Pearland ISD

Houston-area rank: 6
State rank: 15
County: Brazoria
Silvercrest Elementary - Pearland ISD

Houston-area rank: 6
State rank: 15
County: Brazoria
Photo: Pearland ISD
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Cornerstone Elementary - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 5
State rank: 13
County: Fort Bend
Cornerstone Elementary - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 5
State rank: 13
County: Fort Bend
Photo: Fort Bend ISD
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River Oaks Elementary - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 4
State rank: 12
County: Harris
River Oaks Elementary - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 4
State rank: 12
County: Harris
Photo: James Nielsen, Staff
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Creekside Forest Elementary - Tomball ISD

Houston-area rank: 3
State rank: 10
County: Harris
Creekside Forest Elementary - Tomball ISD

Houston-area rank: 3
State rank: 10
County: Harris
Photo: Jerry Baker, For The Chronicle
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Commonwealth Elementary - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 2
State rank: 8
County: Fort Bend
Commonwealth Elementary - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 2
State rank: 8
County: Fort Bend
Photo: Google Streetview
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Buckalew Elementary - Conroe ISD

Houston-area rank: 1
State rank: 7
County: Montgomery
Buckalew Elementary - Conroe ISD

Houston-area rank: 1
State rank: 7
County: Montgomery
Photo: Google Streetview
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Project Chrysalis Middle School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 10
State rank: 28
County: Harris
Project Chrysalis Middle School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 10
State rank: 28
County: Harris
Photo: Houston ISD
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T. H. Rogers School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 9
State rank: 22
County: Harris
T. H. Rogers School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 9
State rank: 22
County: Harris
Photo: Johnny Hanson, HC Staff
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Cornerstone Academy - Spring Branch ISD

Houston-area rank: 8
State rank: 20
County: Harris
Cornerstone Academy - Spring Branch ISD

Houston-area rank: 8
State rank: 20
County: Harris
Photo: Spring Branch ISD
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Garland McMeans Jr High School - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 7
State rank: 19
County: Harris
Garland McMeans Jr High School - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 7
State rank: 19
County: Harris
Photo: GARLAND MCMEANS JR HIGH
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Seven Lakes Jr High School - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 6
State rank: 18
County: Harris
Seven Lakes Jr High School - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 6
State rank: 18
County: Harris
Photo: Rick Turner/Katy ISD
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Sartartia Middle School - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 5
State rank: 16
County: Fort Bend
Sartartia Middle School - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 5
State rank: 16
County: Fort Bend
Photo: Suzanne Rehak, For The Chronicle
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Beckendorff Junior High - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 4
State rank: 12
County: Harris
Beckendorff Junior High - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 4
State rank: 12
County: Harris
Photo: Beckendorff Junior High School
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Houston Gateway Academy Coral Campus - Houston Gateway Academy Inc.

Houston-area rank: 3
State rank: 8
County: Harris
Houston Gateway Academy Coral Campus - Houston Gateway Academy Inc.

Houston-area rank: 3
State rank: 8
County: Harris
Photo: Google Maps
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Lanier Middle - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 2
State rank: 7
County: Harris
Lanier Middle - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 2
State rank: 7
County: Harris
Photo: Elizabeth Conley, Staff
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Fort Settlement Middle School - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 1
State rank: 3
County: Fort Bend
Fort Settlement Middle School - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 1
State rank: 3
County: Fort Bend
Photo: Fort Bend ISD
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Seven Lakes High School - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 10
State rank: 25
County: Harris
Seven Lakes High School - Katy ISD

Houston-area rank: 10
State rank: 25
County: Harris
Photo: Katy ISD
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Clements High School - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 9
State rank: 24
County: Fort Bend
Clements High School - Fort Bend ISD

Houston-area rank: 9
State rank: 24
County: Fort Bend
Photo: Google
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Harmony School of Innovation - Harmony School of Science

Houston-area rank: 8
State rank: 22
County: Harris
Harmony School of Innovation - Harmony School of Science

Houston-area rank: 8
State rank: 22
County: Harris
Photo: Harmony School Of Innovation
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Kerr High School - Alief ISD

Houston-area rank: 7
State rank: 12
County: Harris
Kerr High School - Alief ISD

Houston-area rank: 7
State rank: 12
County: Harris
Photo: Google Earth
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Clear Horizons Early College - Clear Creek ISD

Houston-area rank: 6
State rank: 10
County: Galveston
Clear Horizons Early College - Clear Creek ISD

Houston-area rank: 6
State rank: 10
County: Galveston
Photo: Google Earth
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Carnegie Vanguard High School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 5
State rank: 9
County: Harris
Carnegie Vanguard High School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 5
State rank: 9
County: Harris
Photo: Google Maps
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Eastwood Academy - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 4
State rank: 8
County: Harris
Eastwood Academy - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 4
State rank: 8
County: Harris
Photo: Google Maps
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High School for the Performing and Visual Arts - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 3
State rank: 5
County: Harris
High School for the Performing and Visual Arts - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 3
State rank: 5
County: Harris
Photo: Wikimedia WhisperToMe
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Challenge Early College High School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 2
State rank: 3
County: Harris
Challenge Early College High School - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 2
State rank: 3
County: Harris
Photo: Challenge Early College High School Wikimedia Wikipedia
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DeBakey High School for Health Professions - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 1
State rank: 2
County: Harris
DeBakey High School for Health Professions - Houston ISD

Houston-area rank: 1
State rank: 2
County: Harris
Photo: Dave Einsel/Dave Einsel/Houston ISD, Houston ISD
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Five bayou city schools are worthy of being considered some of the best in the nation, according to state education officials.

On Wednesday, the Texas Education Agency nominated 26 schools to compete in the running for the national Blue Ribbon honor, an award that recognizes schools for their exemplary progress and student achievement.

Of the 26 schools, five hail from the Houston-area: Challenge Early College High School (HISD); DeBakey High School for Health Professions (HISD); East Early College High School (HISD); Alief Montessori Community School (charter) and Arrow Academy-Liberation Academy (charter).

SHOCKING: Heat map shows how Houston schools continue to be segregated

On Tuesday, Houston high school student India Landry filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Windfern High School principal Martha Strother and the district. Landry was suspended last week for several days after refusing to stand during the Pledge of Allegiance. She was sent to the principal's office for texting on her cell phone. According to the complaint, while in the office the Pledge of Allegiance came on over the school’s intercom and Landry continued sitting.

Media: WochIt Media

Dever ISD's Devers Elementary School in Liberty County was also nominated.

The U.S. Department of Education will decide the national winners in September.

Of course, if your alma mater or child's school didn't make the list, don't feel left out – there are plenty of excellent schools in the Houston-area.

Children at Risk, a nonprofit organization that studies Texas' public education system, recently released its annual rankings for the Lone Star State's best elementary, middle and high schools.

PRETTY PENNY: The best private high schools in Houston

The rankings, created using data from standardized test scores and student achievement, can serve as a handy evidence-based tool to narrow down the cream of the crop in Houston's public education.

See Houston's top elementary, middle and high schools above.

Fernando Ramirez is a reporter for Chron.com and the Houston Chronicle. You can read more of his stories here and follow him on Twitter at @fernramirez93.