what state has the highest ranking highschools?

[Grumpy's Gal]

and how do I find out? Thanks!

 

[swilphil]

Highest ranking for what? There are rankings for individual high schools with the highest SATs, highest rate of graduation, etc., but I've never seen states ranked specifically on high school performance. The Federal government might have something in all of their No Child Left Behind data, but to some extent you will be comparing apples and oranges as most states have different tests.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

how about for highest test scores and the most kids who get into college?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

What is your reason or objective? If it is to get into a certain college, yes there are all kinds of "stats".

 

[golfgal]

Minnesota typically ranks number 1 in most educational categories, but the quality of the school can vary from district to district. What specifically are you looking for? If you are looking to move and want some ratings I like to look at the % of students that go onto a 4 year college. That usually gives me the information I am looking for relating to the emphasis the community puts on education.

If you are going to look at test scores, make sure you know what you are looking at. Read the disclaimers, the different demographic breakdowns, etc. For example, in the statewide test that MN gives, our district passes about 87% of the students, which seems low compared to some of the "better" schools in the state but we have a somewhat sizable Somalian population where a lot of the kids know limited English. If you take out those test scores, our passing rate jumps up to about 96%, which is great. If you compare that to a school with very few ESL students and their passing rate is say 92%, then technically our school is "better".

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

If you are looking to move and want some ratings I like to look at the % of students that go onto a 4 year college.

where can I find that information?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just want to let you know that it varies state to state. Since moving here to Texas they have the 10% rule, based on a 5.0 GPA.
Basically you get an automatic "in" at the top Texas schools if you graduate in the top 10%.

 

[wdwgirl03]

I'm pretty sure Wisconsin is up there...

I know for a while WI had the highest average ACT score. The high school I went to actually had the highest average in the state.

 

[cynsaun]

where can I find that information?

Try Greatschools.net. There are rankings for all sorts of different aspects of a school and their testing.

 

[vickyBaby]

Minnesota typically ranks number 1 in most educational categories..

Really, I never heard that. Please provide a link(s).

Here is a link to the top 100 High Schools in the U.S. as rated by Newsweek (not a single high school in Minnesota is on the list).
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7723397/site/newsweek/?g=1

 

[vickyBaby]

Education State Rankings:
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/package.jsp?name=fte/smartstates/smartstates

 

[Caradana]

I think I'd probably look to states with the highest per capita percentage of college graduates, as a proxy for this.

 

[mom2boys]

Be careful looking at test scores. My niece graduated from a high school two years ago. At the graduation the principal bragged about the test scores - how high & hi=ow much they improved. What he failed to mention was that he specificcaly told certain students not to take the standardized tests because they would bring the score down & "they weren't college material" anyway. This was not a bad student - just not an honor student.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Education State Rankings:
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/package.jsp?name=fte/smartstates/smartstates

That is crock. I am from Missouri and moved here to Texas. I find the schools here in TX to be way above Missouri.

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7723397/site/newsweek/?g=1

The criteria for this test is by number of students taking and/or passing advanced placement tests...but not all schools promote the use of these tests. This test also only ranked public schools.

I should think the best indicators would be amounts of college scholorships offered, SAT/ACT averages, and the colleges they are accepted to.

 

[froglady]

Really, I never heard that. Please provide a link(s).

Here is a link to the top 100 High Schools in the U.S. as rated by Newsweek (not a single high school in Minnesota is on the list).
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7723397/site/newsweek/?g=1

According to the most recent article, Jacksonville's Stanton is #1 and Paxon is #5 (I think; definitely up there, however.) I still sent/send my children to private school, although I do know many people whose children attended (and most, but not all, of those graduated) Stanton.

 

[golfgal]

Really, I never heard that. Please provide a link(s).

Here is a link to the top 100 High Schools in the U.S. as rated by Newsweek (not a single high school in Minnesota is on the list).
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7723397/site/newsweek/?g=1

I don't have any "links" since I couldn't tell you when the last "rankings" came out. Overall, Minnesota has long been considered the best state when it comes to educating their kids. Usually the top states are Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa in what ever order. The link you gave was based on how many kids took AP tests. Well, a school could give EVERY student an AP test, it doesn't mean they are a good school. I know in our district you have to maintain at least a "B" average in jr high and freshman/soph year to even be able to take the AP tests to qualify for AP classes. I would say that make our school a "better" school then any school that tests everyone.

I know one district in Minnesota that 99% of their graduates go to a 4 year college, that tells me a LOT more then how many kids take an AP test. Our district 95% of the kids go to a 4 year college. There are several private schools in MN that would be on that list as well. One school I know of ALL of their seniors go to 4 year colleges and 75% of those go to Ivy League or similar caliber colleges.

 

[MrsNick]

I find it a little bit odd that I didn't see Bronx High School of Science, Stuyvesant or Brooklyn Tech on the MSNBC list. I looked through the first 250 and stopped. I think it has to do with the measure they used for defining a good school (i.e. AP tests taken), since these are top schools.

 

[N.Bailey]

I'm in PA and I have no complaints at all about our district. I do know some of the schools in the bigger cities in our state are nowhere near what the schools are in many other districts though.

 

[kasar]

I would take these lists with a grain of salt. "Best" is so subjective.