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Picking the right school for your child is a daunting task as a parent. Oftentimes, parents will default to sending their child to the school closest to the home out of convenience or a school recommended by a fellow friend, but that’s not always the case.
A series of questions must be considered when choosing a child’s path in the education system.
Questions such as whether or not a private or charter school education is better than that of a public school have been contested for decades. Is there a tuition fee associated with the school of choice? Does the school offer a special program for your child? What is the graduation rate?
Recently, U.S. News and World Report released its annual rankings for the Best High Schools in America, and Florida nabbed a couple of the top spots.
“The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on nearly 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college,” reads the ranking page.
Factors used to Determine the List
- College Readiness (30%)
- College Curriculum Breadth (10%)
- Math and Reading Proficiency (20%)
- Math and Reading Performance (20%)
- Underserved Student Performance (10%)
- Graduation Rate (10%)
According to the report, “The highest-ranked U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2021 Best High Schools rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math and reading state assessments, earned qualifying scores in an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.”
Top-10 Florida High Schools in 2021
Of the 24,000 schools that made the rankings – 602 are located in the Sunshine State.
While it certainly isn’t an option for every student in the state to go to one of the schools highlighted in the U.S. News & World Report list, it is important to understand that these schools are ranked where they are because of what they offer and how successful their curriculum is. If, for whatever reason, a student is not admitted or within a reasonable distance of these schools, parents should look at how well these schools perform in certain categories and use them to compare it to schools in their area.
#1 – School for Advanced Studies (SAS) – Miami, FL
#2 – Pine View School – Osprey, FL
#3 – Westshore Junior/Senior High School – Melbourne, FL
#4 – Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School – Miami, FL
#5 – Design and Architecture Senior High (DASH) – Miami, FL
#6 – iPrep Academy – Miami, FL
#7 – Stanton College Preparatory School – Jacksonville, FL
#8 – International Studies Charter High School – Miami, FL
#9 – Jose Marti Mast 6-12 Academy – Hialeah, FL
#10 – Edgewood Jr/Sr High School – Merritt Island, FL
Overall, nine of the top 10 schools in Florida ranked in the top 100 in the nation, claiming some of the highest numbers in the country. Of the top 10 schools in Florida, 60% can be found in the Miami-Dade County Public School system, the third-largest public school system in the nation.
The full list of high schools that made the list can be found by clicking here.
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Chris began his writing as a hobby while attending Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida. Today he and his wife live in the Orlando area with their three children and dog.
