Charter schools are public schools that have been released from some of the regulations governing other public schools as long as they succeed in meeting the criteria agreed upon in their original charter. Charter schools tend to have limited enrollment and usually accept students through an application process. The following are the nation’s top charter schools, according to the America’s Best High Schools analysis.
| Overall Rank | School Name and Location | College Readiness Index | Quality-Adjusted Exams Per Test Taker |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Pacific Collegiate Charter Santa Cruz, CA | 98.8 | 4.1 |
| 8 | Preuss School UCSD La Jolla, CA | 97.1 | 1.9 |
| 13 | Basis Tucson Tucson, AZ | 93.8 | 3.2 |
| 15 | Ridgeview Classical Charter Schools Fort Collins, CO | 91.3 | 2.9 |
| 16 | Benjamin Franklin Senior High School New Orleans, LA | 90.7 | 3.3 |
| 19 | Idea College Preparatory Donna, TX | 88.9 | 1.0 |
| 20 | Raleigh Charter High Raleigh, NC | 88.9 | 4.8 |
| 21 | Lennox Mathematics, Science, and Technology Academy Lennox, CA | 88.6 | 1.5 |
| 42 | Charter School of Wilmington Wilmington, DE | 78.1 | 4.0 |
| 45 | University High Fresno, CA | 76.5 | 2.7 |
| 52 | Yes College Preparatory School Houston, TX | 73.2 | 1.4 |
| 53 | Oscar De La Hoya Animo Charter High Los Angeles, CA | 73.2 | 1.0 |
| 59 | Northland Preparatory Academy Flagstaff, AZ | 71.6 | 2.5 |
| 68 | Signature School Inc. Evansville, IN | 69.5 | 3.6 |
| 69 | Peak to Peak Charter School Lafayette, CO | 69.4 | 2.9 |
| 70 | Hawthorne Math and Science Academy High Hawthorne, CA | 69.3 | 0.8 |
| 94 | Animo Leadership High Inglewood, CA | 62.9 | 0.8 |
| 97 | Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy Coeur d'Alene, ID | 62.2 | 1.7 |
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