America's Best High Schools: State-by-State Statistics
| Rank | State | Number of High Schools* | Number eligible for full analysis | Awarded bronze or better | Bronze or better medal (% of total) | Awarded silver or gold | Silver or gold (% of total) | Awarded Gold | Gold (% of total) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | 193 | 143 | 16 | 8.3% | 12 | 6.2% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 345 | 253 | 37 | 10.7% | 21 | 6.1% | 2 | 0.6% | |
| 3 | California | 1839 | 893 | 170 | 9.2% | 110 | 6.0% | 20 | 1.1% | |
| 4 | New Jersey | 397 | 299 | 41 | 10.3% | 23 | 5.8% | 5 | 1.3% | |
| 5 | New York | 1041 | 676 | 122 | 11.7% | 53 | 5.1% | 23 | 2.2% | |
| 6 | Illinois | 742 | 296 | 70 | 9.4% | 37 | 5.0% | 3 | 0.4% | |
| 7 | Vermont | 63 | 39 | 8 | 12.7% | 3 | 4.8% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 8 | Washington | 453 | 211 | 51 | 11.3% | 21 | 4.6% | 4 | 0.9% | |
| 9 | Maine | 115 | 77 | 10 | 8.7% | 5 | 4.3% | 1 | 0.9% | |
| 9 | Maryland** | 231 | 173 | 15 | 6.5% | 10 | 4.3% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 11 | Florida | 608 | 367 | 43 | 7.1% | 24 | 3.9% | 10 | 1.6% | |
| 12 | New Hampshire** | 78 | 59 | 8 | 10.3% | 3 | 3.8% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 54 | 21 | 4 | 7.4% | 2 | 3.7% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 14 | Texas | 1425 | 669 | 122 | 8.6% | 50 | 3.5% | 11 | 0.8% | |
| 15 | Colorado | 338 | 146 | 32 | 9.5% | 11 | 3.3% | 1 | 0.3% | |
| 16 | Nevada | 94 | 54 | 5 | 5.3% | 3 | 3.2% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 16 | Oregon | 283 | 100 | 33 | 11.7% | 9 | 3.2% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 18 | Kentucky | 258 | 148 | 32 | 12.4% | 8 | 3.1% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 19 | North Carolina | 440 | 314 | 44 | 10.0% | 13 | 3.0% | 2 | 0.5% | |
| 20 | Georgia | 380 | 288 | 29 | 7.6% | 11 | 2.9% | 1 | 0.3% | |
| 21 | Delaware | 37 | 28 | 4 | 10.8% | 1 | 2.7% | 1 | 2.7% | |
| 21 | District of Columbia | 37 | 12 | 4 | 10.8% | 1 | 2.7% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 23 | Virginia | 320 | 221 | 36 | 11.3% | 8 | 2.5% | 2 | 0.6% | |
| 23 | Arizona** | 400 | 128 | 36 | 9.0% | 10 | 2.5% | 2 | 0.5% | |
| 25 | Pennsylvania | 676 | 356 | 69 | 10.2% | 16 | 2.4% | 1 | 0.1% | |
| 26 | Michigan | 864 | 324 | 75 | 8.7% | 20 | 2.3% | 1 | 0.1% | |
| 27 | Utah | 181 | 71 | 15 | 8.3% | 4 | 2.2% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 27 | Indiana** | 366 | 235 | 30 | 8.2% | 8 | 2.2% | 1 | 0.3% | |
| 27 | Alabama | 372 | 101 | 45 | 12.1% | 8 | 2.2% | 1 | 0.3% | |
| 30 | Louisiana** | 316 | 57 | 31 | 9.8% | 6 | 1.9% | 1 | 0.3% | |
| 31 | Minnesota | 604 | 155 | 39 | 6.5% | 11 | 1.8% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 32 | Wyoming**# | 63 | 15 | 8 | 12.7% | 1 | 1.6% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 33 | South Carolina | 200 | 137 | 22 | 11.0% | 3 | 1.5% | 1 | 0.5% | |
| 34 | New Mexico | 138 | 53 | 21 | 15.2% | 2 | 1.4% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 34 | Missouri | 489 | 100 | 41 | 8.4% | 7 | 1.4% | 1 | 0.2% | |
| 36 | Tennessee# | 320 | 138 | 27 | 8.4% | 4 | 1.3% | 2 | 0.6% | |
| 37 | Idaho# | 165 | 42 | 19 | 11.5% | 2 | 1.2% | 1 | 0.6% | |
| 38 | Alaska | 97 | 25 | 7 | 7.2% | 1 | 1.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 39 | Ohio** | 818 | 356 | 46 | 5.6% | 7 | 0.9% | 1 | 0.1% | |
| 40 | West Virginia# | 121 | 55 | 19 | 15.7% | 1 | 0.8% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 40 | Iowa | 378 | 71 | 47 | 12.4% | 3 | 0.8% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 42 | South Dakota | 136 | 20 | 13 | 9.6% | 1 | 0.7% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 42 | Arkansas** | 274 | 165 | 38 | 13.9% | 2 | 0.7% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 44 | Wisconsin | 500 | 240 | 50 | 10.0% | 3 | 0.6% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 45 | Mississippi | 245 | 66 | 40 | 16.3% | 1 | 0.4% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 46 | Kansas | 318 | 62 | 43 | 13.5% | 1 | 0.3% | 1 | 0.3% | |
| 47 | Hawaii** | 48 | 35 | 8 | 16.7% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 47 | North Dakota | 108 | 12 | 13 | 12.0% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| 47 | Montana# | 114 | 29 | 12 | 10.5% | 0 | 0.0% | 0 | 0.0% | |
| Not ranked | Oklahoma*** | 411 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Not ranked | Nebraska*** | 250 | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | n.a. | |
| Totals | 18743 | 8535 | 1750 | 9.3 | 561 | 3.0% | 100 | 0.5% |
* Number of schools that, at a minimum, served at least 15 students in grade 12, and thus could be expected to award high school diplomas
** States for which student subgroup data were not available for statewide analysis. In each case, schools identified through step 1 were then evaluated on step 3, and the resulting list was then subjected to a by-hand screen of step 2 data using the state's online report card for these schools.
*** States for which there was not sufficient state data available for steps 1 and 2 for statewide analysis. Step 3 was still evaluated for the determination of Honorable Mention status.
# States for which 2007-08 state assessment data could not be obtained, so 2006-07 data were used instead. Affects steps 1 and 2 only.
Reader Comments
Methodology
what was the methodology behind ranking these states. i understand how the schools were given gold, silver, bronze, and honorable mention but how were the states ranked. For instance, Connecticut is number 1 yet it has not a single school with a gold medal. And according to the ranking of high schools a school in Virginia is number 1 but Virginia is number 23. This confuses me...
NoVA is good but MD is great compaired to DC
Virginia has 2 High Schools in the top 100, both in Northern Virginia. Thomas jefferson H.S. (#1 2010, 2009, & 2008), in Alexandria & Langely High School (#47 2010, #76 2009, & #37 2008), in Mclean, VA. This year Maryland had no schools in the top 100, but last year it had 3 and the year before the same. VA had 3 in 2008 but Oakton in Vienna fell off too (in NoVA). The ranking is by state and includes the private or charter schools. The District has many great private (Gonzaga & St Johns) and good charter schools too, such as Sidwell Friends (the Obama kids go there). The rank is an average, not a king of the hill that the states are ranked on, school to school, not even per capita or other leveler. For the record, I went to High School & College in VA (Kempsville High & ODU), but live in MD. Maryland falls of the state rankings since Prince Georges County drags them down.
Ranking DC above Virginia???
Looking at the scores, I am hard pressed to see how DC ranks one above Virginia. DC schools are horrible, and NoVA has the best school system in the country (Fairfax). ????? The rest of the state can't be THAT bad!
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