BATON ROUGE — Despite the federal government ending the Blue Ribbon Schools program earlier this year, the Louisiana Department of Education honored two capital area schools with the award, officials said Thursday. 

South Live Oak Elementary School in Livingston Parish and St. Jude School in Baton Rouge were both recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools for their "clear and consistent commitment to educational excellence," Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said.

The honorees were among eight schools in the state to receive the distinction, a program that the federal Department of Education discontinued in September.

Federal education officials, however, still encouraged states to recognize their 2025 nominees.