John Hersey Named One of the Best High Schools in Cook County: Magazine

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — John Hersey High School was named to Chicago magazine's list of the best suburban high schools in Cook County, which was released this week.

The school was ranked at No. 3, behind only Proviso Math and Science Academy in Forest Park (No. 1) and New Trier High School in Winnetka (No. 2). Northfield's Middlefork Primary School took the stop spot among elementary schools.

Teaming up with nonprofit group RTI International, Chicago magazine created the criteria for its best of lists—divided by county and school level—based on test scores, attendance, spending per student, graduation rates (for the high schools) and other data taken from the Illinois Board of Education. The publication hasn't done this type of school analysis and ranking since 2012.

Here's a quick breakdown of the numbers that helped Hersey earn its rank:

John Hersey High School (No. 3)

• Spending per student: $11,820
• Freshmen meeting or exceeding state standards: 93 percent
• Graduation rate: 92 percent

The Arlington Heights school also was selected as one of the magazine's five "innovators." According to the magazine, "innovators" are schools and districts that are leading the way in education. Hersey was recognized thanks to a program developed in the late '90s by now-retired literature teacher Charles Venegoni that combined multiple class subjects to create "a broad-based, forum style of teaching, in the tradition of college lectures."

RELATED: John Hersey Ranked 12th Best High School in State on U.S. News 2016 List

Other nearby high schools that made the publication's list included:

• William Fremd High School, Palatine (No. 5)
• Rolling Meadows High School, Rolling Meadows (No. 7)
• Prospect High School, Mount Prospect (No. 9)
• James B. Conant High School, Hoffman Estates (No. 10)
• Schaumbug High School, Schaumburg (No. 12)
• Hoffman Estates High School, Hoffman Estates (No. 15)
• Palatine High School, Palatine (No. 16)
• Elk Grove High School, Elk Grove Village (No. 19)

Six Schaumburg elementary schools also made Chicago's list. Of those, Enders-Salk Elementary School, Hoover Math and Science Academy and Thomas Dooley Elementary School were ranked the highest at Nos. 5-7, respectively.

More via Chicago magazine

PHOTO: John Hersey High School (Image via Patch)

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