Top Performing High Schools in Pennsylvania: Council Rock Schools Shine in Rankings

Introduction to Pennsylvania High School Rankings

As a new academic year begins, the Council Rock School District in Newtown, Pennsylvania, sets an academic example as both its high schools have secured spots among the revered Top 100 high schools in Pennsylvania.

Rankings Based on U.S. News & World Report Assessment

The U.S. News & World Report has honored Council Rock High School North in Newtown and Council Rock High School South in Northampton Township with impressive rankings of 36th and 62nd in Pennsylvania respectively. Nationally, they ranked as the 1,181st and 1,682nd best high schools.

The prestigious annual rankings evaluated schools at national, state, and local levels, considering factors such as academic performance, graduation rates, and college readiness. The thorough review encompassed over 25,000 schools, out of which 17,680 schools were ranked.

Top Pennsylvania High Schools in Bucks County

Bucks County schools demonstrated stellar performance in the rankings. New Hope-Solebury High School outdid other schools in the county by securing the 9th position in Pennsylvania and ranking 432nd nationally. Central Bucks High School East, Central Bucks South, and Central Bucks West also featured in the Top 100 list.

Importance of High School Rankings

Liana Loewus, who manages the education sector at U.S. News, emphasized the importance of strong high school programs. She stated, “Making data on our high schools available helps parents ensure their child is in the educational environment that best sets them up to thrive.”

The top-ranking schools in the national rankings of 2023-24 demonstrated exceptional scores on state assessments for math, reading, and science. These schools also showed strong performance in areas like underserved student performance, college readiness, curriculum breadth, and graduation rates.

Criteria for College Readiness and Underserved Student Performance

College readiness was evaluated based on participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams. Underserved student performance focused on students who are Black, Hispanic, or from low-income households. The rankings included demographic information on schools ranked in the top 5, 10, and 25 percent.

You can find the best high schools rankings exclusively on USNews.com. The data includes a variety of factors, such as enrollment, student diversity, participation in free and reduced-price lunch programs, graduation rates, and state assessment results. U.S. News collaborated with RTI International, a global research firm, to implement the comprehensive ranking methodology.

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