Par High and Hills Not Ranked Among 'Top' NJ High Schools

U.S. News & World Report announced its 2013 list of the top high schools in each of the 50 states, and neither of Parsippany's high schools made the cut.

The publication evaluated all of New Jersey's high schools and named 54 institutions as the state's best. In order to be ranked, schools had to earn a national gold or silver medal; neither Parsippany High School nor Parsippany Hills High School qualified.

The magazine's rankings are compiled on the basis of student-to-teacher ratios, college readiness and High School Proficiency Assessment scores.

Parsippany High School received a 25.9 college readiness index score, which U.S. News said is near the New Jersey average. Parsippany Hills High School's college readiness index score was 27.4, also near the state average. This statistic measures the 12th graders who took and passed advanced placement tests: For the High, 28 percent of seniors were tested and 25 percent passed. For the Hills, 30 percent took the test and 26 percent passed. 

Fifteen schools nationally and two schools in the Garden State received a perfect college readiness index score of 100. 

In other areas evaluated, Par High scored near the state average in math (3.1 score; 78 percent proficient, 22 percent not proficient) and language (3.2; 92 percent proficient, 8 percent not proficient). Par Hills scored above the New Jersey average in math (3.2; 84 percent proficient, 16 percent not proficient) and language (3.3; 93 percent proficient, 7 percent not proficient).

The best New Jersey high school, according to U.S. News, is Biotechnology High School in Freehold.

U.S. News evaluated data for more than 21,000 public high schools from 49 states and the District of Columbia. (Nebraska did not report enough data to be included.) From New Jersey, 395 schools were evaluated.

Last August, New Jersey Monthly Magazine ranked both high schools among the state's 100 best in its biennial list. Parsippany Hills was ranked at 23rd (it was ranked 50th in 2010) and Parsippany High was number 86 on the list (88 two years prior).