Area Schools Get National Recognition
Four South Bay schools have landed on U.S. News & World Report's first ever-ranking of the 100 best high schools in America.
The California Academy of Math and Science, a charter of Long Beach Unified but housed in Carson at CSU Dominguez Hills, topped the local presence with its 21st place ranking nationwide. The Animo Leadership Academy in Inglewood landed at No. 31, while Palos Verdes Peninsula High came in at No. 89. Palos Verdes High School also made the list, at No. 93.
The magazine, which for years has been so ranking colleges and universities, teamed with analysts from School Evaluation Services to develop the methodology to analyze how well high schools serve their students. They factored in poverty and economic status, including disadvantaged students, average students, and college-bound students to make those measurements.
According to the methodology, a best high school is one that succeeds at the following:
1) Attains performance levels that exceed statistical expectations given the school's relative level of student poverty, as measured by state accountability test scores for all the school's students in the core subjects of reading and math;
2) Achieves proficiency rates on state tests for their least advantaged student groups (e.g., black, Hispanic, and economically disadvantaged students) that exceed state averages; and
3) Prepares its students for college, as measured by student participation in and performance on Advanced Placement (AP) tests, which are administered by the College Board.
Using this methodology, more than 18,500 high schools in 40 states were analyzed for inclusion.
The issue hits newsstands on Monday, but the "America's Best High Schools" package is available now online.