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ACLC named Best High School again by US News
Alameda Community Learning Center receives US News national award for 8th year in a row
Alameda, CA – April 20, 2016 — U.S. News & World Report just released its annual list of “Best High Schools” for 2016, and the Alameda Community Learning Center (ACLC), a grade 6-12 Alameda public charter school, made the list for the 8th year in a row.
U.S. News & World Report, with RTI International, a global nonprofit social science research firm, considered nearly 20,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia for their awards. To earn a “Best High Schools” award from U.S. News, a school must first pass a three-step evaluation which measures: 1) student performance on required state math and reading tests, 2) whether their disadvantaged students (black, Hispanic and low-income) are outperforming disadvantaged students state-wide, and 3) student graduation rates.
Schools that pass these first three evaluation steps are awarded Bronze medals, placing them in the top 30 percent of all public high schools. Only 15 percent of medal schools are also charter schools, which places ACLC in an even more elite group.
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Schools that offer Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs are also judged on step 4) college-readiness performance, based on AP and IB test data, which makes them eligible for Gold and Silver awards. Small schools like ACLC that do not offer Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs are not eligible for Gold or Silver awards or inclusion in U.S. News’ national ranking.
As an alternative to AP or IB courses, ACLC creates college-readiness through rigorous honors classes, a college-like seminar model, and graduation requirements to complete a senior project, internship, and at least one college course. College courses are offered under concurrent enrollment with the Peralta Colleges, including the College of Alameda, Berkeley City College, Merritt College and Laney College. These courses offer a broad range of subject options and provide real college credit and experience while still in high school.
