MAIN Education America's Best High Schools

With the number now hovering around 24,000 nationwide, public high schools are annually rated by a number of media outlets including Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report.

The Newsweek list mainly rates on AP, IB or Cambridge test scores from each school. They also separate out from the "best of" pack more than a half dozen schools, - most in the New York Metro area (i.e., Bronx Science, Brooklyn Tech, Hunter High School) - for being "too elite".

U.S News, on the other hand, uses a more sophisticated formula measuring how successful a school is in preparing students for college, evaluating the success of disadvantaged students, as well as how schools rank nationally on test scores.

What makes a high school one of the best around?

Experts say that depends on the values you hold as a family and the particular interests and talents of your child. Do you have a budding artist, musician or engineer in your household? If so, you may want to research the various options open to you, offering the strongest possible curriculum tailored to your child's needs.

Of course, it's never as easy as it sounds — jurisdiction within each city and state sets its own rules for what child goes where within a given school school district.

As with any product or service, it always pays to shop around, and with a little extra effort you may find charter, magnet schools or other alternatives nearby or outside your local district. If you've exhausted by all the possibilities and are still not satisfied with the educational opportunities for your child, homeschooling may also be an option.

When discussing what makes for any school that sets up a child for future success, education professionals may highlight the budget, extracurricular activities, a varied student body, small classrooms, student/teacher ratio, or opportunities for individual attention.

What all of them ultimately point to, however, is passionate and motivated parent involvement.

More about America's best high schools on the Web:

Around the Web, research the major lists, along with other resources that help guide parents through the maze of choosing the best high school for their family, including parent reviews, online forums and related "best of" resources ...

America's Best High Schools 2009 - U.S. News & World Report guide featuring the Top 100 with related reports, photos, video, school profiles, information on ranking methodology, FAQ.

America's Top Public High Schools - Newsweek report ranking more than a 1,000 high schools throughout the U.S. in a database searchable by state, city, or school name plus related FAQ, methodology, feature stories.

Great Schools.net - Powerful database allowing visitors to search and compare top high schools by U.S. state with a busy community forum, parent reviews, tips on choosing the best K-12 schools, helpful feature articles, school visit worksheets, homeschooling guides.

Public School Review - Searchable database of public elementary, middle and high schools by state or zip code with maps, neighborhood median income and other statistical school data, with tips on evaluating and choosing a public school, related resources.

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