News Summary
The U.S. News & World Report has published its 2025-2026 Best High School Rankings, evaluating around 24,000 public high schools in the nation. Nearly 18,000 schools achieved ranking status based on key performance metrics aimed at assessing college readiness and student success. The methodology emphasizes factors such as student achievement, graduation rates, and curriculum breadth. The rankings also highlight top schools across specialized categories such as STEM and charter schools, providing valuable insights for parents and students in choosing quality education institutions.
Washington D.C. – The U.S. News & World Report has released its much-anticipated 2025-2026 Best High School Rankings, featuring evaluations of approximately 24,000 public high schools across the nation. Nearly 18,000 of these schools have achieved ranking status based on a variety of performance metrics. The primary goal of these rankings is to identify schools that effectively prepare students for college and future success.
The rankings incorporate several specialized categories, including STEM and charter schools, in addition to traditional evaluations based on state, district, and metro area categories. To determine these rankings, U.S. News partnered with RTI International, employing a robust methodology built upon six key performance indicators that highlight academic achievement and student outcomes. These criteria include student performance on state-required assessments, graduation rates, measures of college readiness, service effectiveness for underserved student populations, student participation and performance in Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, and the breadth of the curriculum offered by the schools.
The data utilized in the ranking is the most current available from the 2022-2023 school year, ensuring that the assessments reflect up-to-date academic environments and student achievements. This extensive evaluation aims to spotlight schools that go above and beyond in supporting their students’ educational journeys.
Top Public High Schools Nationwide
The top ten public high schools, as identified in the rankings, include:
- BASIS Tucson North (Arizona)
- Signature School (Indiana)
- Central Magnet School (Tennessee)
- Davidson Academy (Nevada)
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Virginia)
- Albuquerque Institute of Math and Science (New Mexico)
- Hass Hall Bentonville (Arkansas)
- Julia R. Masterman Secondary School (Pennsylvania)
- The School for the Talented and Gifted (Texas)
- Aiken Scholars Academy (South Carolina)
Evaluation Criteria
Schools undergo rigorous assessment through the six key performance indicators that inform their ranking. These factors include:
- Student Achievement: Analysis includes scores from state-required assessments to measure educational effectiveness.
- Graduation Rates: Strong graduation rates are a critical factor in the evaluation process.
- College Readiness Measures: Schools are evaluated on how well they prepare students for higher education challenges.
- Service to All Students: Assessment includes looking at how schools support underserved populations.
- AP and IB Participation: Schools are considered on the level of student engagement and success in AP and IB programs.
- Curriculum Breadth: The overall curriculum offered and its effectiveness on student outcomes are taken into account.
Background on the Rankings
The U.S. News Best High School Rankings have become a benchmark for evaluating public high school performance in the United States. Over recent years, these rankings have evolved to include various categories that target specific areas of education, such as STEM and charter schools. This year’s rankings serve not only as a guide for parents and students seeking quality educational institutions but also as recognition of schools striving to excel in preparing their students for academia and beyond.
As education continues to play a pivotal role in shaping future generations, the U.S. News rankings remain an essential tool for understanding which high schools are making significant strides in student achievement and educational innovation.
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Additional Resources
- Patch: Top 20 High Schools in San Diego County
- Wikipedia: High School in California
- High School Football America: California Top 25 Preseason Rankings
- Google Search: California High School Rankings
- USA Today: Best California High Schools for Athletes
- Encyclopedia Britannica: High School
- High School Football America: 2025 Preseason HSFA 300 Rankings
- Google News: High School Baseball Rankings
- Los Angeles Times: Top 25 High School Baseball Rankings
- Google Scholar: High School Education Rankings

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