Massachusetts had the highest percentage of high-ranking public high schools nationally, according to US News and World Report’s latest rankings, with Boston Latin School and the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley leading the way.
The annual rankings evaluated more than 17,600 public high schools on factors such as college readiness, college curriculum, results on state assessments, the performance of students who are Black, Hispanic, and from low-income households, and graduation rate, according to the publication.
Boston Latin School placed 27th on the list — up from its 50th position last year when it was also named the state’s top high school. Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School ranked 100th nationally.
The rankings from US News and World Report have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, particularly at the university level. Some have complained that the ranking system places outsized influence on criteria that reflect wealth or level of prestige. Harvard and Yale Law schools have refused to participate, and critics have recommended that the rankings be taken with a grain of salt.
US News has defended its rankings. At the high school level, they “offer a starting point for parents to understand a school’s academic performance, whether it’s a prospective school or one that their child is already attending,” LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at US News, said in a press release.
“Accessible data on our high schools can empower families across the country as they navigate today’s educational environment and plan for the future,” Jones said.
Massachusetts had the largest proportion of its high schools ranked in the top 25 percent nationally, at about 44 percent. It was followed by Connecticut with 43 percent and New Jersey with 42 percent.
Other top-ranked schools in Massachusetts included: Lexington High School (192nd nationally), Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School in Marlborough (228th nationally), Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis (235th nationally), John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science in Roxbury (236th nationally), Hopkinton High School (250th nationally), Dover-Sherborn Regional High School (288th nationally), Boston Latin Academy (308th nationally), and Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (319th nationally).
In the category of state assessment performance, which was derived from math, reading, and science test scores, overall results were compared with what US News “predicted for a school with its demographic characteristics in its state.” Schools that exceeded their expectations scored higher.
“In all 50 states, there is a very significant statistical relationship between the proportion of a student body that is Black, Hispanic and/or from a low-income household — defined as being eligible for free or subsidized school lunch — and a school’s results on state assessments,” according to the publication.
Maine and Oklahoma did not grant permission to use their schools’ scores on Advanced Placement exams in the rankings, “which means schools in these states that administered AP exams were not able to be fully credited on their college readiness,” according to the publication.
See the list of rankings below.
Top 10 high schools in the nation:
- BASIS Peoria (Arizona)
- Signature School (Indiana)
- Tesla STEM High School (Washington)
- Julia R. Masterman Secondary School (Pennsylvania)
- Payton College Preparatory High School (Illinois)
- The School for the Talented and Gifted (Texas)
- Academic Magnet High School (South Carolina)
- International Academy of Oakland (Minnesota)
- Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology (Georgia)
- Riverside Stem Academy (California)
Top 5 charter schools in the nation:
- BASIS Peoria (Arizona)
- Signature School (Indiana)
- Haas Hall Bentonville (Arkansas)
- Basis Oro Valley (Arizona)
- Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science (New Mexico)
Top 5 magnet schools in the nation:
- Tesla STEM High School (Washington)
- Julia R. Masterman Secondary School (Pennsylvania)
- The School for the Talented and Gifted (Texas)
- Academic Magnet High School (South Carolina)
- International Academy of Macomb (Minnesota)
Top 5 STEM schools in the nation:
- High Technology High School (New Jersey)
- BASIS Peoria (Arizona)
- BASIS Chandler (Arizona)
- The Early College at Guilford (North Carolina)
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Virginia)
Shannon Larson can be reached at shannon.larson@globe.com. Follow her @shannonlarson98.
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