The U.S. Department of Education has released the list of their 2011 Blue Ribbon schools, and only one is local.

St. Joseph Grade School in South Bend was named to the 2011 list.

The Blue Ribbon schools program honors public and private elementary through high schools that are high performing or have improved student achievement to high levels.

Principal Suzanne Wiwi says being chosen is an honor and reflects on the hard work of the students and staff.

St. Joseph Grade School was one of the nine Indiana schools on the Blue Ribbon list this year. It was also one of only 49 private schools nationally to receive the honor.

304 schools were named to the Blue Ribbon list this year.

Michigan was one of the very few states to have no schools on that list.