Palo Alto High Schools Soar in National Rankings

Gunn and Palo Alto high schools ranked better than 99.7% of U.S. public high schools in Newsweek Magazine’s “America’s Top High Schools Rankings” released earlier this week. The 2014 rankings are based on 2011-2012 school data gathered by the national leading research firm Westat Inc. research group and reviewed by the Newsweek Advisory Panel comprised of educational leaders from across the country.

Gunn High School ranked #38 and Palo Alto High ranked #56 in the nation based on a score that considers a created college readiness score (combination of enrollment, graduation and attrition rates, ratio of counselors to students, and weighted AP/IB/SAT/ACT composite scores), the percent of students who are considered college bound, the graduation rate, and the percent of socioeconomically disadvantaged students served by the school.

Additionally, both schools boasted high marks in the new ranking system, “Beating the Odds Schools,” focused specifically on how schools support low income students towards academic success and college readiness. Nationally, Gunn ranked #61 and Palo Alto ranked #146 when this additional consideration was applied.

Eight high schools in Santa Clara County were included the top-ranked 500 high schools list.

High School Name:

• Gunn High School, 38
• Leland High School, 54
• Palo Alto High School, 56
• Los Altos High School,71
• Monte Vista High School, 74
• Mountain View High School, 189
• Homestead High School, 403
• Cupertino High School, 491

Superintendent Glenn “Max” McGee, Ph.D. shared, “We are proud of this recognition by Newsweek and congratulate the students, families, and staff who work diligently every day to achieve these outstanding results. However, these rankings also inspire us to do more to support our socioeconomically disadvantaged students through implementing effective programs, to recruit and retain high quality teachers, and to help each student reach his or her full potential.”

More information regarding the rankings, criteria and methodology can be found by going to: http://www.newsweek.com/methodology-newsweeks-top-high-school-rankings-268773

--Information from Palo Alto Unified School District