The Washington Post 2012 Rankings of America's Most Challenging High Schools

[theschoolboards]

From the Washington Post by Jay Mathews:

The Challenge Index uses a measure of college-level test participation simple enough for readers to calculate the ratings of their neighborhood schools. The complex weightings that characterize many other school rankings are not a factor.

I divide the number of AP, IB and AICE exams at each school by the number of graduating seniors. A rural Oregon school like Corbett Charter, which gave only 334 AP tests in 2011, can outrank a big magnet school like Suncoast in Florida, which gave 2,523 AP exams and 1,069 IB exams, because Corbett had only 19 graduates in 2011 and Suncoast had 317.

AP, IB and AICE provide introductory college-level tests for high school students that can earn college credit. The exams are much longer than high school finals and rely more on essay questions, requiring teachers to spend more time teaching critical thinking and analytical writing.

For the first time, I am including a sampling of private schools in my annual high school rankings.

National Rankings

1. BASIS Tucson - Tucson, AZ
2. Corbett Charter - Corbett, OR
3. Science/Engineering Magnet - Dallas, TX
4. Corbett - Corbett, OR
5. BASIS Scottsdale - Scottsdale, AZ
6. Talented and Gifted - Dallas, TX
7. Stanton College Prep - Jacksonville, FL
8. Young Women's Prep - Miami, FL
9. Signature - Evansville, IN
10. Carnegie Vanguard - Houston, TX
11. American Indian Public Charter - Oakland, CA
12. Suncoast Community - Riviera Beach, FL
13. South Texas Academy of Med Tech - San Benito, TX
14. Jefferson COunty IB - Birmingham, AL
15. LAMP (Loveless Academic Magnet Program) - Montgomery, AL
16. Paxon School for Advanced Studies - Jacksonville, FL
17. Eastside - Gainesville, FL
18. Gwinnett School of Math, Science & Tech - Lawrenceville, GA
19. City Honors - Buffalo, NY
20. Science Academy of South Texas - Mercedes, TX

view national list>>

[theschoolboards]

California Rankings

1. American Indian Public Charter - Oakland
2. Northcoast Prep and Performing Arts Academy - Arcata
3. Preuss School UCSD - La Jolla
4. Pacific Collegiate School - Santa Cruz
5. Oxford ACademy - Cypress
6. Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies - Los Angeles
7. Harvard-Westlake (private) - Studio City
8. Lowell - San Francisco
9. Crystal Springs Uplands (private) - Hillsborough
10. University - Fresno
11. Webb (private) - Claremont
12. Menlo (private) - Atherton
13. Magnolia Science Academy - Reseda
14. Cate (private) - Carpinteria
15. Monta Vista - Cupertino
16. Troy - Fullerton
17. Canyon Crest - San Diego
18. Summit Prep - Redwood City
19. San Diego High School for International Studies - San Diego
20. Gunn - Palo Alto

view California list>>

[theschoolboards]

D.C. Area Rankings

1. Saint Anselm's Abbey (private) - Washington D.C.
2. H-B Woodlawn - Arlington, VA
3. Washington International School (private) - Washington D.C.
4. Poolesville - Poolsville, MD
5. Richard Montgomery - Rockville, MD
6. George Mason - Falls Church, VA
7. Bethesda Chevy Chase - Bethesda, MD
8. Walter Johnson - Bethesda, MD
9. Winston Churchill - Potomac, MD
10. Oakton - Fairfax County, VA
11. Yorktown - Arlington, VA
12. Washington-Lee - Arlington, VA
13. School Without Walls - Washington D.C.
14. McLean - Fairfax County, VA
15. James Madison - Fairfax County, VA
16. Langley - Fairfax County, VA
17. W.T. Woodson - Fairfax County, VA
18. Thomas S. Wootton - Rockville, MD
19. Dominion - Sterling, VA
20. Walt Whitman - Bethesda, MD

view D.C. Area list>>

[theschoolboards]

New York Rankings

1. City Honors - Buffalo
2. Jericho - Jericho
3. Baccalaureate School for Global Education - Queens
4. Bronxville - Bronxville
5. South Side - Rockville Centre
6. Harrison - Harrison
7. Wheatley - Old Westbury
8. Pittsford Sutherland - Pittsford
9. Manhasset - Manhasset
10. Rye - Rye
11. Locust Valley - Locust Valley
12. Syosset - Syosset
13. Great Neck South - Great Neck
14. Cold Spring Harbor - Cold Spring Harbor
15. Garden City - Garden City
16. Pittsford Mendon - Pittsford
17. Dobbs Ferry - Dobbs Ferry
18. Edgemont - Scarsdale
19. Odyssey Academy - Rochester
20. Herricks - New Hyde Park

view New York list>>

[theschoolboards]

Illinois Rankings

1. Walter Payton College Prep - Chicago
2. Jones College Prep - Chicago
3. Lincoln Park - Chicago
4. Adlai E. Stevenson - Lincolnshire
5. Glenbard West - Glen Ellyn
6. Hinsdale Central - Hinsdale
7. Riverside Brookfield - Riverside
8. John Hersey - Arlington Heights
9. Morgan Park - Chicago
10. World Language at Little Village Lawndale - Chicago
11. Auburn - Rockford
12. Prospect - Mount Prospect
13. Buffalo Grove - Buffalo Grove
14. Evanston Township - Evanston
15. Grayslake Central - Grayslake
16. Lane Tech - Chicago
17. Barrington - Barrington
18. Hinsdale South - Darien
19. Oak Park and River Forest - Oak Park
20. Fremd - Palatine

view Illinois list>>

[alent1234]

not much for NYC schools

[readingit]

Right that's a really big surprise!! I suppose those with means have fled the public school system for the private. And I think this ranking system is geared towards public schools.

not much for NYC schools

[alent1234]

the NYC schools aren't bad if you help your kid. the averages are brought down by the fact that the schools are open to anyone outside the district and the districts themselves are pretty large

but if you want a good school for your kids you go to District 26 in NYC or out to the burbs.