SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Improved test scores helped Slippery Rock High School earn recognition this year as a National Blue Ribbon School.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on Tuesday announced the 335 Blue Ribbon Schools nationwide for 2015.

The Blue Ribbon program has existed for 33 years and has recognized 8,000 public and private schools around the country.

It evaluates a school over a five-year period and looks at schools that either have “very high learning standards” or have made “notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.”

Kristie Shulsky, former high school principal, and Jake Jefferis, former assistant principal, will travel to Washington, D.C., for a two-day conference on Nov. 9-10 to receive a plaque, flag and ribbon noting the school’s accomplishment.

Shulsky now is the principal at Moraine Elementary School and Jefferis is the middle school principal.

Shulsky, who was the principal for the five years covered by the review, said it is a prestigious honor for the school and the community.

“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity as educators to be recognized for the hard work and the dedication you put into your job as administrators,” Shulsky said.

“It shows our work on curriculum and assessment and moving the high school forward in a positive direction.”

Superintendent Alfonso Angelucci said the award highlights the achievements of the high school students, their parents and the staff.

“We are proud of the recognition this distinction brings,” Angelucci said.

“The Slippery Rock area is well known for education — and has been for over 100 years. It is extremely gratifying to know that our high school’s Blue Ribbon status will continue to show what a great school community this is.”

Shulsky said she was notified in January that the school had been nominated. The school administrators then filled out a 31-page application, which it submitted to the U.S. Department of Education in March.

The period looked at for the award was from 2010 to 2015. Before 2010, the school’s test scores and academic achievements were not among the best in the region, but they have steadily climbed.

For the 2013-14 school year, the high school had a Pennsylvania School Performance Profile score of 91. That was the second-highest score out of the 27 districts in Butler, Mercer and Lawrence counties that compose Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV. Only Mars High School, with a score of 91.4, was higher.

The Performance Profile takes into account state Keystone Exam scores, AP exam scores, SAT and ACT scores and graduation and attendance rates.

Slippery Rock High School is one of 17 schools in Pennsylvania to be selected this year as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Others selected from Western Pennsylvania are Albert F. Baker Elementary School in Pittsburgh; First Street Elementary School in Canonsburg; North East High School in North East; and McCormick Elementary School in Moon Township, Beaver County.

Several Butler County schools have been named Blue Ribbon Schools in the past. Most recently, Seneca Valley Middle School received the honor in 2012.