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U.S. News & World Report reveals 2022 Best High Schools rankings

RTI supported the collection and analysis of the data used to generate the rankings


RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. — U.S. News & World Report today unveiled the 2022 Best High Schools rankings, highlighting the top-performing public schools in each state and nationally. U.S. News collaborated with RTI International, a leading nonprofit research institute, to research and produce the rankings.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Virginia, Academic Magnet High in South Carolina, and Signature School in Indiana claimed the top three spots in the 2022 iteration of the rankings, which included nearly 18,000 high schools.

Researchers at RTI collected and analyzed the data that generated the rankings. The research team used a methodology with six factors: (1) college readiness, (2) reading and math proficiency, (3) reading and math performance, (4) underserved student performance, (5) college curriculum breadth and (6) graduation rates. Specifically, college readiness measures participation and performance on Advanced Placement® (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) tests.

For the 2022 rankings, RTI included historical performance averages in the methodology that considered schools’ performance on several factors over three previous years. This innovation helped address the gap in state assessment data for the 2019-20 school year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also new this year was the inclusion of science proficiency data, made possible by the adoption of new science standards and related assessments in many states.

"The Best High Schools rankings take a comprehensive approach to evaluating schools," said Eric Brooks, principal data analyst at U.S. News. "Looking at factors like graduation rates and underserved student performance, families can use this information to learn more about their local schools."

In addition to the national rankings, U.S. News released rankings for high schools in each state, including charter and magnet schools, found in separate Best Charter Schools and Best Magnet Schools rankings.

Learn more about RTI’s K-12 education work

Media Contact for U.S. News & World Report: Madeline Smanik, education-PR@usnews.com

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RTI International Media Relations:

As an independent, scientific research institute with a mission to improve the human condition, RTI International is engaged by clients and partners to conduct evidence-based research and project implementation. We share our work in line with journalistic and scientific standards and maintain a record in RTI’s Newsroom.

RTI International is an independent, scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world’s most challenging problems. 

For more information, visit www.rti.org.