Have you ever wondered which public high schools in the United States are the best? The top public schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia are in Arizona and Texas, according to the U.S. News Best High School rankings.
U.S. News and RTI International, a North Carolina-based nonprofit social science research firm, evaluated more than 28,000 schools across the United States to determine the schools that are considered the best of the best, producing top-notch students equipped to pursue college education and providing quality education to all their students.
For the fifth year in a row, the Dallas-based School for the Talented and Gifted grabbed the top spot, while Arizona-based schools BASIS Scottsdale and BASIS Tucson North placed second and third, respectively.
The nation's top 6,000 high schools have graduation rates at least 15 percent higher than other schools.
Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to schools that show exceptional performance in four key aspects, namely the performance of students on required math and reading tests imposed by states, the performance of disadvantaged subgroups on these tests, the rate of students who graduated and the rates of participation in and performance on the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests.
Being awarded gold medals means that a school has students who show the highest level of readiness to pursue college education.
This year, 500 schools or 3 percent of the total number of schools assessed received gold medal awards. Out of this number, 17 schools received the highest possible score of 100 for college readiness.
"A high school education is imperative for success in both college and a career, and a school's graduation rate is a key indicator of whether students are being effectively prepared for both paths," said the Managing Editor of Education at U.S. News, Anita Narayan.
The ranking gives both parents and students information on the performance of public schools. This will help them decide about which school they want to enroll in.
The 10 Best Public High Schools In The United States
1. School for the Talented and Gifted - Dallas, Texas
2. BASIS Scottsdale - Scottsdale, Arizona
3. BASIS Tucson North - Tucson, Arizona
4. School of Science and Engineering - Dallas, Texas
5. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology - Alexandria, Virginia
6. BASIS Oro Valley - Oro Valley, Arizona
7. Pine View School - Osprey, Florida
8. Academic Magnet High School - North Charleston, South Carolina
9. International Academy - Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
10. Carnegie Vanguard High School - Houston, Texas
Photo: U.S. Department of Education | Flickr
