James Monroe Ranks Among Lowest In WaPo Challenge Index

Fredericksburg's James Monroe High School ranked in at 165th of 176 schools on Washington Post education reporter Jay Mathews' annual Challenge Index. 

The index score is the number of college-level tests given at a school in 2011 divided by the number of graduates that same year. Also noted are the percentage of students who come from families that qualify for free and reduced lunch (called Subs. lunch), an indicator of poverty, and the percentage of graduates who passed at least one college-level test during their high school career, called equity and excellence (E&E).

Spotsylvania High School had the lowest ranking at 169th, with 9 percent of graduates passing at least one college-level test during their high school career and 40 percent of the students qualifying for a free or reduced lunch.

ranked at 165th, with 27 percent of the grads passing at least one college-level test during their high school career and 38 percent qualifying for free or reduced lunches.

Stafford County's Colonial Forge ranked highest among area schools at 103rd, right above Massaponax High School in Spotsylvania County at 106th.

Riverbend High School in Spotsylvania ranked 118th.

Stafford High School came in at 119th and Mountain View in Stafford was 120th.

Chancellor High School was 147th and Brooke Point High School came in at 152nd.

North Stafford Ranked 150th.

You can see the entire index on the Washington Post website.

What do you think about WaPo's Challenge Index measurements? Do they mean anything to you?