Best High Schools: Top Achievement High Schools

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The methodology of this study is such silliness. Making the final ranking based on just AP and IB scores? Doesnt' that leave out a lot of other factors like strength of curriculum?
The % of students you have getting a 4 or 5 on the AP is like a pretty worthless measure of overall school quality. It's like ok, a lot of kids take at least one ap and get a 4 or 5 on it. Big deal. How is that at all a way to decide between the best of the best. There's no explaination by US News why they chose this standard as the deciding one.
You'd think US News would do something less crappy than this ranking system.

bvelvet63 of CT 5:04AM April 05, 2009

I work at ODLH, and I have to say that it is an honor to be represented on the US News and World Report list of best high schools. I am proud of my colleagues' dedication and my students' diligence. I'd like to congratulate all of our "family" at our site.
Also, I'm sure that this list neglects hundreds and thousands of teachers who work tirelessly and deserve every bit as much recognition as the schools that made the list. Thank you to everyone who cares so strongly about education that they are part of this wonderful field.

Mr. Cassidy of CA 7:07PM January 05, 2009

How is Schenectady High School in Schenectady NY not on this list either?
We probably have one of the best schools around that's main focus is success. Schenectady splits it's school up into 5 different 'houses' as they put it which are The Thomas Edison school of Math, Science and Technology (MST), The School of Global Commerce, The GE Scholars house of Humanities and Cultures, The John Sayles School of Fine Arts House, and a separate building known as Steinmetz career center. If that doesn't focus itself around academic achievement I don't know what school does.
Seeing as how each other them also break down and focus on things even closer.

Sarah of NY 11:53PM January 04, 2009

You dare not say the converse because people from Texas and other states near the Mason-Dixon line do all they can to keep discriminatory systems in place, which no matter where you go can have a disasterous effect on a population. The reason we have a best schools list, and I am familiar with a few of the schools, is to get their best practices out into the moribund public school systems.
To start sectioning things out by race and class will only perpetuate the downward slide in standards that only a racist, or a teachers union member would love.

R of CA 12:35PM December 31, 2008

My daughter went to Hunter College High School which I always thought was among the best nyc schools, yet it never gets mentioned the way stuyvesant and bronx science do. Why is that?

Lillian Coleman of NY 11:24PM December 24, 2008

Without any empiracle evidence, my guess is that students from Asian and Jewish homes,for example, will help a school look good. Need I say the converse? So the best way to judge the school and not the ethnic and socio-economic background of schools is to compare schools with like ethnic makeups and stop acting politically correct as if there are no cultural differences

Michael of TX 7:29AM December 21, 2008

I read the article in Time where only the top 100 Gold were listed. I went to the website to see the top 100 silver, bronze and honorable mention schools. Where are these lists?

Kathy Rawls of SC 8:43PM December 18, 2008

How do we see the listing of the Silver schools...I heard my school was listed and want to review...thanks!!!

Az Parent of AZ 12:33PM December 15, 2008

how do we see the silver and bronze? i looked at each list and it is not there.
two of the Golds in Tucosn are a joke, not even real open enrollment schools

retiered teacher of AZ 6:36PM December 11, 2008