Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology was denied Virginia’s top educational honor despite being ranked as the top public school in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for four years in a row. Fellow Fairfax County high schools Oakton and Woodson received the Governor’s Award for Educational Excellence alongside 22 county elementary and middle schools, while Thomas Jefferson and 56 more county schools were given the “second tier honor” from the state board of education.

“The governor’s award goes to schools that have met all of the accountability requirements for at least two years, but also have achieved the excellence goals identified by the state board,” spokesman Charles Pyle said.