Aggie-led School District Receives National Blue Ribbon Award
Milano Elementary School in Milam County, Texas, received the US Department of Education’s 2023 National Blue Ribbon Award, recognizing public and private K-12 schools’ overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. One of our former students, Milano ISD Superintendent Elisabeth Avila Luevanos ’18, headed the effort that led to this recognition.
Luevanos accepts the National Blue Ribbon Award from the US Department of Education.
When Luevanos joined the district, Milano Elementary needed help improving student success in math and literacy. After reviewing data and listening to parents, faculty and staff, Luevanos and the school’s principal, Courtney Todd, introduced new educational strategies and elements to the classroom to see what best resonated with students.
One top priority was creating a “strong sense of belonging, where the students feel like they’re cared for,” according to Luevanos. Students had trouble believing in themselves when test results communicated a lack of capability. Luevanos assisted Mrs. Todd and faculty in tracking data throughout the year and saw the new instructional elements positively affected students, raising their confidence and academic performance.
Luevanos gets to know her students better while sharing some cookies.
To keep the momentum going, Principal Todd worked with her teachers to set checkpoints and introduced WIN (What I Need) Time, where students worked with teachers in 30-minute segments to identify weaknesses, reteach as needed and close any academic gaps. Luevanos also worked closely with Todd to get creative when meeting students’ needs. “We haven’t really changed the way that we’ve taught education in the past 100 years,” Luevanos said, adding, “By embracing technology, Milano ISD focused on embedding varying facets of supports in diversifying instruction and individualizing curricular goals for each student.” As a result, students were one-to-one with devices before the COVID-19 pandemic. As superintendent, Luevanos knew she needed to create a culture of trust so campus leaders in the district knew they had support in making concrete changes.
The new strategies led Milano Elementary to improve its academic rating to an A, reach top school status in Milam County and earn the National Blue Ribbon Award.
Luevanos credits some of her educational strategies to her time in SEHD, where she earned a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration and is an adjunct professor. She describes her time researching and studying change theory as particularly formative in her approach and encourages all educators to always remember their purpose.
“You don’t go into education for yourself,” Luevanos said. “You’re doing it for others and hoping to make an impact every single day. Never forget the why — why you got into education — and let the why drive you and remember that you’re making a difference and it matters to somebody that you’re there.”
Milano Elementary faculty and staff celebrate being recognized as a National Blue Ribbon school.
For media inquiries, contact Ruben Hidalgo.
