At least three of the region’s schools are teaching students to perform and succeed alongside the world’s best and brightest, education officials said Tuesday.

Pittsburgh CAPA, Fifth Ward Elementary in the Central Valley School District in Beaver County and Fort Crawford School in the New Kensington-Arnold School District were among the 13 schools in Pennsylvania and 314 nationwide named as “Blue Ribbon Schools,” a recognition of academic achievements by the federal Department of Education.

The Blue Ribbon Award, in existence since 1982, honors public and private K-12 schools that are academically superior or have made dramatic improvements in student achievement.

“By upholding high standards and accountability, these schools are helping to ensure our students can perform and succeed alongside the best and brightest the world has to offer,” state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak said in a statement. He said he remains “confident all of Pennsylvania’s schools will rise to the same levels of achievement, ensuring our students are among the best in the world.”

CAPA, Pittsburgh’s performing arts magnet school, consistently performs well on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. Last year, 99 percent of CAPA students went on to post-secondary education, Principal Melissa Pearlman said. The other 1 percent enlisted in the military.

“What this award really does highlight is the direct correlation between high academic achievement and a superior art education,” Pearlman said. “We see how when students are immersed in rich cognitive study of the arts, it carries over to all the areas of their life — academic, social and emotional. We’re the best-kept secret in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.”

New Kensington-Arnold Superintendent George Batterson said Fort Crawford Elementary’s award is evidence the district is making strides to improve performance on the PSSA. The award comes a month after Gov. Ed Rendell recognized the district as one of the state’s 50 most improved districts.

“Improving student achievement is our number one goal,” Batterson said. “Fort Crawford has consistently been improving their scores annually.”

District officials said the achievement is particularly meaningful at a school where at least 40 percent of the 225 students are classified as economically disadvantaged; about 85 percent qualify for free or reduced lunches.

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