Dedham School 4th Best In State: Niche

Niche.com has released its latest list of the top 100 schools in Massachusetts, with a twist. The latest rankings include both public and private schools, and elementary, middle and high schools. That means usual top performers like the Massachusetts Academy of Math & Science and Lexington High School have gotten knocked down a couple spots, as Niche favors private schools.

In fact, the first public school that appears on the list lands at No. 12. Seven of the top 10 schools also double as boarding schools.

The top five includes the Noble and Greenough School. The private boarding school located in Dedham was named the fourth best school in the state.

Here's the breakdown:

• Overall Grade: A+
• Academics: A+
• Teachers: A+
• Clubs and Activities: A+
• Diversity: No Grade
• College Prep: A+
• Sports: A

Niche's methodology is based on an analysis of academic and student-life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with test scores, and feedback from Niche.com users. It is important to remember that every school on this top 100 list receives either an A+ or an A for an overall score from Niche.

Click here for the full top 100.

Alex Newman contributed to this report.

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