U.S. News’ list of best high schools analyzes reading and math scores, including a look at how low-income students are doing, and challenges, such as how many students take and pass AP exams.
The story on Massachusetts, the “first-class state,” includes MATCH, a “gold medal” Boston charter school that recruits low-income minority students. Hidalgo High, a high-poverty school on the Texas-Mexico border, shines among the top open-enrollment schools.
Eduwonk’s Andrew Rotherham helped develop the U.S. News alternative to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best High Schools, which honors schools that offer challenging courses but doesn’t look at equity. In the U.S. News list, “charter schools are over-represented . . . indicative of the number that are focusing on college prep for urban kids,” writes Eduwonk. Four out of five high schools on the list are open to all students.
Make my day. I’m proud to say I was part of the core team who founded #47 on the list (Peak to Peak in Lafayette, CO).
Wow! MATCH has a full teaching staff, plus one live-in tutor for every five or six students. No wonder they’re good.
I read a few of the responses on Eduwonk to this report, and while there do seem to be some issues, it is refreshing to see a logical approach to determining best public high schools. Public school is for the all of the public, and it only makes sense to consider how all of the public is being served when determining the best high schools.
Fang - as Google, Inc., the U.S. Military, and Microsoft all reflect - yes, indeed, you do often get what you pay for.
Locally, one consistent varible is the Asian student population - more Asians, higher ratings.
Re Walter,
Locality not withstanding,
I’m thinking a more logical formula is: competitive application process, intolerance of misbehavior, and no “mainstreamed” kids in the classroom…students come to school to work.
Walter- Which one of those is the cause, and which the effect? Where I live, Asian parents move to school districts with high rated schools. There’s nothing wrong with that, and the schools continue to be good with a large Asian enrollment, but they were already good before the large Asian population moved in.
Mike, “I’m thinking a more logical formula is: competitive application process, intolerance of misbehavior, and no “mainstreamed” kids in the classroom…students come to school to work.”
What, no “mainstreamed”kids in the classroom?—our district is putting all but the most severe special needs kiddos in the regular classroom. Did you see this article in the WSJ http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119610348432004184.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Cardinal Fang wrote:
> Wow! MATCH has a full teaching staff, plus one live-in tutor for every five or six students. No wonder they’re good.
Having 73% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunches probably makes it especially easy for the school to manage such stellar achievements.
What’s the opposite of “cherry-picking”?