A report from U.S. News & World Report reveals the top-rated high schools in America, but it is not without its share of accolades and controversy. Today, the rankings continue to attract national attention, with U.S. News annually evaluating thousands of public high schools using updated measures of college readiness, state assessment performance, graduation rates, and underserved student achievement. While some schools celebrate their inclusion on the list, others are left scratching their heads, wondering how and why they were selected among so many excellent high schools across the country.
Parents should remember that rankings are just one tool for evaluating schools alongside school culture, academic offerings, extracurricular activities, and student support services. For additional guidance, read 10 Tips for Choosing the Best High School for Your Child.
Three Steps to the Top-Ranked Schools
The creation of the U.S. News list was originally achieved through a three-step process implemented by the American Institutes for Research (AIR). While the methodology has evolved over the years, it continues to focus on objective measures of school performance and college readiness.
First, the publication looked at student performance by weighing math and reading scores on state high school proficiency tests against the percentage of economically disadvantaged students at the school. Schools that scored statistically higher than the state average were evaluated through the next step in the process.
Next, U.S. News and AIR looked at whether the least advantaged students were performing at a higher rate than the state average. This group included Hispanic, African American, and low-income students. Schools performing better than average in this area proceeded to the next step of the evaluation process.
Finally, schools were judged on their college readiness through Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) participation and assessment data. Both programs offer rigorous college-level courses while students are still in high school, as well as opportunities to earn college credit depending on college policies and examination scores. U.S. News continues to evaluate college readiness using AP, IB, and other indicators as part of its updated methodology. Families interested in advanced coursework can learn more in Unlocking Academic Excellence: A Guide to Advanced Placement (AP) Courses. Additional information about AP and IB programs is available from the College Board and the International Baccalaureate Organization.
In this video, the experts at the college data website Niche discuss their list of the smartest public high schools in the U.S.
The Significance of Gold, Silver, and Bronze
Out of the schools included in the original assessment, U.S. News awarded gold, silver, and bronze medals to the highest-performing schools. Although the publication now uses national and state rankings rather than medal designations, the original awards helped distinguish schools based on academic achievement and college readiness.
Gold and silver awards were given to the top-performing schools in the country that met all three of the evaluation criteria described above. The schools were divided into gold and silver categories based on their college-readiness index, a measure of how much exposure students gained to college-level work while still in high school and how they performed in that work. Gold medal schools represented the highest-performing schools in the nation.
Bronze medal winners met the criteria for state test performance but did not demonstrate the same level of college readiness. In many cases, these schools did not offer AP or IB programs or relied on other methods of preparing students for college that were not included in the original methodology.
Although the methodology has changed over time, the purpose remains the same: helping families compare schools using consistent academic measures. Parents should also consider graduation rates, extracurricular opportunities, specialized academic programs, and school climate when evaluating a public high school. Public School Review also explores how student success is measured beyond test scores.
And the Winners Are…
The top 15 schools on the original U.S. News list shared a number of common features, including exceptionally strong participation in AP or IB coursework. Student-teacher ratios varied considerably among these schools. However, the large majority boasted relatively small class sizes, indicating students were likely benefiting from more personalized instruction.
The list of the top 15 schools in the country included (in numeric order):
- School for the Gifted and Talented (Dallas, Texas)
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria, Virginia)
- School of Science and Engineering Magnet (Dallas, Texas)
- University High School (Tucson, Arizona)
- International Academy (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)
- BASIS Tucson (Tucson, Arizona)
- Oxford Academy (Cypress, California)
- Pacific Collegiate School (Santa Cruz, California)
- International School (Bellevue, Washington)
- High Technology High School (Lincroft, New Jersey)
- San Marcos High School (San Marcos, California)
- Dublin High School (Dublin, California)
- Green Valley High School (Henderson, Nevada)
- Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy (East Hartford, Connecticut)
- Sturgis Charter Public School (Hyannis, Massachusetts)
In this video, Dallas' Channel 11 does a news story on DISD TAG High School and SEM High School being ranked as top schools in the Nation by US News and World Report.
While this was just the beginning of a lengthy listing, it provided insight into just how widespread high-quality public education can be across the country. For parents, these rankings often provide valuable information when making decisions about the best schools for educating their children. However, they should be considered alongside factors such as school culture, academic fit, extracurricular opportunities, and student support services. Families may also find it helpful to read How Public Schools Prepare Students for College: Best Practices.
Problems with the Rankings
While some schools are busy celebrating their well-deserved place in the U.S. News rankings, others are questioning the accuracy of such an assessment. Jeff Horn, the former principal of Green Valley High School, knew his school deserved high accolades based on its reputation as one of the standout schools in Clark County, Nevada. The high school boasted its share of academic honors, athletic championships, and a nationally recognized fine arts program. However, a ranking among the top schools in the country led Horn to question whether statistical analysis alone could accurately compare thousands of excellent public high schools.
"I know we're great, but I'm not sure we're that great," Horn told The Atlantic. "We have a lot to be proud of here, and we're still proud of our students and staff regardless of the list."
U.S. News has continued to refine its ranking methodology since the original publication of this article. Today, the organization evaluates more than 24,000 public high schools across all 50 states and the District of Columbia using updated measures that include college readiness, state assessment proficiency, graduation rates, and the performance of underserved student groups. Parents interested in learning more about the methodology can visit U.S. News & World Report and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
In this video, these 20 schools scored the highest among the 500 top-ranked national gold medal schools.
It appears that some of Horn's original concerns had merit. Earlier versions of the rankings relied on data submitted to the federal Common Core of Data, and reports at the time suggested that inaccurate information had been submitted for some schools. In response, U.S. News reviewed its methodology and has continued to improve the accuracy and transparency of its rankings by incorporating additional data sources and refining its evaluation process.
Even with these improvements, many educators believe rankings should be viewed as only one measure of school quality. They cannot fully capture factors such as school culture, teacher engagement, student support services, extracurricular opportunities, leadership, or community involvement, all of which contribute to a student's educational experience.
For parents, national rankings can provide a valuable starting point when researching schools, but they should not be the sole deciding factor. Visiting schools, speaking with administrators and teachers, reviewing academic offerings, and considering a student's individual interests and learning style are equally important. Public School Review offers additional guidance in How Public Schools Prepare Students for College: Best Practices.
Ultimately, the best public high school is not necessarily the highest-ranked one. It is the school that best fits a student's academic needs, personal interests, and long-term goals. Rankings can help narrow the search, but thoughtful research and firsthand evaluation remain essential for making an informed decision.
