Schools

U.S. News and World Report Releases 'Best High Schools' List

Glendora high schools are nowhere to be found on the list.

U.S. News and World Report released its annual list of the "Best High Schools" in the country Tuesday. According to the report, the rankings are developed in conjunction with the Washington-based American Institutes for Research and are determined using math and English proficiency, college readiness and the ratio of students to teachers. Nearly 22,000 schools were analyzed.

San Gabriel Valley high schools such as San Marino High School (#42), Diamond Bar High School (#61), Arcadia High School (#64). Walnut High School, (#65), Monrovia High School (#217) and Bonita High School (#248) were ranked statewide.

None of the high schools in Glendora were ranked. However, the publication offered the following data:

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Glendora High
National ranking: Not ranked
California Ranking: Not ranked
College Readiness Index: 29.4
Academic Performance Index: 820
Student/Teacher Ratio: 25:1
Academic Performance Index Evaluation: Achieves CA goal

Charter Oak High
National Ranking: Not ranked
California Ranking: Not ranked
College Readiness Index: 22.8
Academic Performance Index: 754
Student/Teacher Ratio: 28:1
Academic Performance Index Evaluation: Does not achieve CA goal

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Whitcomb Continuation High
National Ranking: Not ranked
California Ranking: Not ranked
College Readiness Index: N/A
Academic Performance Index: 640
Student/Teacher Ratio: 11:1
Academic Performance Index Evaluation: Does not achieve CA goal

Arrow High (Continuation)
National Ranking: Not ranked
California Ranking: Not ranked
College Readiness Index: N/A
Academic Performance Index : 641
Student/Teacher Ratio: 19:1
Academic Performance Index Evaluation: Does not achieve CA goal

Sierra High
National Ranking: Not ranked
California Ranking: Not ranked
College Readiness Index: N/A
Academic Performance Index 506
Student/Teacher Ratio: 16:1
Academic Performance Index Evaluation: Does not achieve CA goal

Oxford Academy in Cypress, Pacific Collegiate School in Santa Cruz, San Marcos High in San Marcos, Dublin High in Dublin and Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy in Arcata were named the top five schools in California, respectively. See the full California rankings and learn more about the U.S. News & World Report ranking methodology.

Some educators have called into question the statistics used to determine the survey. In fact, one Nevada principal, whose school ranks 13th in the nation, told the Las Vegas Sun some of the information used was inaccurate.

This year's "Best High Schools" report, available exclusively online, is U.S. News & World Report's fourth edition.

NATIONAL RANKING

A three-step process was used to determine the Best High Schools, U.S. News explained. Those that made it past the first two steps were then evaluated by a third step.

To win a gold or silver medal and be ranked, a high school had to pass the first two steps and have a college readiness index at or above the median benchmark (see step three). The 4,887 highest-scoring schools were ranked gold, silver or bronze.

Step 1: Were each school’s students performing better than statistically expected for the average student in the state?

Factors: Reading and math results on each state’s high school proficiency tests

Percentage of economically disadvantaged students (who tend to score lower) enrolled at the school to identify the schools that were performing better than statistical expectations. 

Step 2: Were the school's least-advantaged students (black, Hispanic, and low-income) performing better than average for similar students in the state?

Factors: Compared math and proficiency rates

Step 3: Are a school’s students college-ready?

Factors: A college readiness index based on how many students participated in Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests and how students fared on the tests.

See the full methodology for how rankings were determined here.

STATE RANKINGS

These rankings were based on if a high school is ranked gold or silver nationally and what that ranking is.

U.S News used the example that if the highest-ranked high school in a state is No. 50 nationally, then that school is also ranked No. 1 in that state.

See Charter and magnet school rankings methods here.

RANKINGS CRITERIA CHANGES

Three main changes were made in how the Best High Schools rankings were determined in 2012, compared to the last edition in December 2009:

  • Increased number of medal winning schools that could then be analyzed for rankings.
  • More schools were numerically ranked—all the gold and silver medal winners instead of just top 100 gold schools
  • Lower college readiness benchmark was used to determine if a school received medal status—16.3 was the 2012 benchmark, compared to 20.0 previously.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the No. 1 ranked school in California. It is Oxford Academy in Cypress.


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