The Best Public High School in Every State

Finding the best public high school in every state is a matter of statistics. Graduation rates do matter, after all.

Alabama-Mountain Brook High School

For such a small school, with just over one thousand students, it’s not tough to think that the 13 to 1 student/teacher ratio is small. But the AGR, the average graduation rate, is impressive at 98 percent.

Alaska-West High School

Plenty of people love Alaska, but many have stated that they’re ready to get away when they can. This could explain why the AGR is in the 87th percentile, but it’s nicer to think that despite the low proficiencies, people here want to learn.

Arizona-Arizona College Prep Erie Campus

The low number of students is kind of odd to some folks, but looking at the purpose of this school makes it easier to reconcile. Not only that, but the proficiencies in Math and English are impressive.

Arkansas-Fayetteville High School East

This is the size of school a lot of people are used to, and the reasonable proficiencies are what many people come to expect, more or less. But keeping the AGR in the 80s is still worth a mention.

California-Canyon Crest Academy

As one of the most populous states, California is easy to think about when it comes to one public high school or another. Giving credit where it’s due though, their proficiencies are amazing.

Colorado-Cherry Creek High School

A public high school is typically looked down upon by a lot of people and widely accepted by others. But with numbers such as this one puts up, it’s tough to think that a blanket statement will ever apply.

Connecticut-Staples High School

It does appear that a smaller public high school might offer a better chance for their students to learn. With a 99 percent AGR, that’s hard to argue with.

Delaware-Concord High School

Not every small public high school is going to put up great numbers. But when one realizes that proficiency scores aren’t all there is to great schools, it becomes easier to see how each school serves its students the best it can.

Florida-Pine View School

It doesn’t get much better than this since the proficiencies are high enough to think that this school turns kids into super students. The fact that its AGR is 95 percent is phenomenal.

Georgia-Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science & Technology

A smaller school that appears to specialize in certain subjects is still the type of school where learning is emphasized. This institution is the type of place that makes successful students who are primed to go even further in life.

Hawaii-Mililani High School

It’s easy to fall into a rhythm of thinking that low to mid proficiencies are normal since the vast difference between students has to be counted. But any school that graduates 90 percent or more of its students is easy to appreciate.

Idaho-Boise Senior High School

Despite a high AGR, the middling numbers that define the proficiencies are still easy to see. At the same time, it does feel that this school’s success rate overshadows any issues that might arise.

Illinois-Adlai E. Stevenson High School

The average public high school is a place where success and failure are often experiencing a precarious balance. But this school leans toward success without a doubt.

Indiana-West Lafayette Junior/Senior High School

Coming from a small-town public high school it’s easy to understand the dynamic of a small, Jr./Sr. school. But thankfully the numbers make it clear that the success of this place is well-earned.

Iowa-Ames High School

The math and reading scores of smaller schools are kind of expected to be higher since there’s a better chance of teachers and students having more one-on-one time. But when a school shows they can push past expectations and truly succeed, that’s inspiring.

Kansas-Blue Valley North High School

Sometimes it’s easy to assume that middling proficiency scores and a high AGR are a sign of a lackadaisical education system. But this institution has made it clear that they’ve earned every grade given.

Kentucky-Highlands High School

The standards of excellence that many public high schools exhibit are amazing. It kind of makes a person wonder what they’re doing differently.

Lousiana-Dutchtown High School

At some point, one has to realize that there is a secret to attaining the success that some schools experience. However, with the vast differences between one school and another, it’s tough to state that the same tricks would work.

Maine-Cape Elizabeth High School

For such a small school it’s not tough to think that the students get all the help they need. Thinking that there’s anyone who falls behind is kind of tough, especially when the ratio of teachers to students is 1 to 12.

Maryland-Winston Churchill High School

Over two thousand students don’t sound like a lot, but that’s a lot of personalities to deal with when it comes to learning. The fact that 96 percent of them graduate is enough to be impressed.

Massachusetts-Lexington High School

There is a big correlation between fewer students in a class for each teacher to deal with. The success rate isn’t always as high as this school’s, but it does help immensely.

Michigan-Troy High School

As successful schools go this one is definitely on the higher end, but its proficiencies do dip a little compared to others. All the same, it’s a great school that graduates in the 95th percentile.

Minnesota-Minnetonka Senior High School

Is it possible to look like a middle-of-the-road school while posting such a great AGR? It’s plausible, but the greatness is still fairly obvious.

Mississippi-Oxford High School

Different regions have different expectations even though all schools want their students to graduate. Still, the fact that excellence varies so much when taking down statistics is amazing.

Missouri-Clayton High School

Some schools are great simply because of their performance. Others are great because they focus heavily on the success of their students, not their standing in a national registry.

Montana-Bozeman High School

Math appears to be a big sticking point for a lot of schools, though the average is fairly good for this school. However, the lower AGR is interesting considering the average excellence in academics.

Nebraska-Millard North High School

It does appear that this school is fairly average to excellent when looking at the statistics. When the average grades are As one can guess that a school is doing a lot of things right.

Nevada-Reno High School

At the risk of sounding offensive, a city that houses a strong gambling culture does feel like a city where math might be a necessary subject. RHS does have an impressive AGR though.

New Hampshire-Hanover High School

Smaller schools aren’t often thought of as having an edge, but the statistics don’t lie. In some regards though, it does feel as though smaller schools have more pressure heaped on them to make certain their students succeed.

New Jersey-Millburn Senior High School

Among the many impressive schools on this list, the proficiencies in this school are a bit, well, lacking. But their AGR is amazing, so they’re doing something worthy of notice.

New Mexico-Los Alamos High School

There has to be a reason why the AGR of this school is lower than others, especially since the proficiencies aren’t that much lower and the average grades are just as high.

New York-Great Neck South High School

It’s tough to think of how many schools there are in New York, especially in the Big Apple alone. But the proficiencies are amazing, and the AGR is every bit as good as one might expect.

North Carolina-East Chapel Hill High School

One has to assume that the statistics that are gathered aren’t always accurate or show that some students test better or perform better on various projects and assignments. At any rate, it shows that success is all over the map at times.

North Dakota-Fargo Davies High School

It’s been said before, but Fargo is known in many ways for many reasons. The AGR of this school is impressive enough to make it clear that they have high standards.

Ohio-Dublin Jerome High School

It’s tough to stand one school next to another and compare them when their stats are vastly different or so close in line. This school is successful due to its stats, and it has one of the highest AGRs around.

Oklahoma-Memorial High School

Learning is obviously important in every part of the country, but some schools really take it to the limit. This institution in particular appears to send plenty of well-learned people into the world.

Oregon-South Eugene High School

Oregon often gets a lot of flack for the education system. But these numbers show that the state, while burdened in a few ways, is capable of hanging with some of the best in the country.

Pennsylvania-Conestoga Senior High School

Some schools are great, and others are another step above somehow. The level of resources and the ability to do something with them has a lot to do with this.

Rhode Island-Barrington High School

The teacher-to-student ratio is efficient, and the overall grades are good. But somehow, the proficiencies are kind of average.

South Carolina-Wando High School

In a way, this feels as though it’s a safe spot for this school on this list, near the top but not quite at the peak. It’s a comfortable spot since it makes clear the point that they’ve done something right but without the need to keep up the insane pressure.

South Dakota-Brandon Valley High School

A public high school is a place where people are expected to learn, and with AGRs that range in the 90s, the statistics are hard to stand by. Even with slightly average proficiencies, this school is obviously succeeding.

Tennessee-Brentwood High School

One has to wonder what separates one school from another when it comes to success, other than the stats. It would appear that Tennessee can hold its heads high for another reason thanks to this school.

Texas-Westlake High School

Texas is a big place and there’s a lot of competition for a lot of things. But when it comes to schooling it’s fair to state that Westlake is among the best the nation has to offer.

Utah-Park City High School

It is a little confusing to see how certain proficiencies can stay so low while AGRs and overall grades are so high. It’s a quandary, but not a key one.

Vermont-South Burlington High School

Math doesn’t appear to be a huge priority or favorite subject in a lot of schools. But then again, reading doesn’t appear that emphasized in a lot of schools either.

Virginia-McLean High School

There’s no doubting the efficiency of some school systems since the overall scores and grades are hard to deny. Plus, an AGR in the 90s also makes it clear that this is a model for other schools.

Washington-Interlake Senior High School

As a high school graduate of Washington, it’s fair to say that there are plenty of highs in the state’s education system and a lot of lows. This school is one of those that’s higher on the list, but as the best, it does kind of reinforce the ideas of many who have something to say about the West.

West Virginia-Morgantown High School

With such low proficiencies, the AGR of this school isn’t too surprising but it’s something to think about. The grades are okay, but it’s still something to ponder over.

Wisconsin-Whitefish Bay High School

Some smaller schools remain small for a reason, but the grades and AGR in this place are still impressive. There is still a lot to say about small schools and their increased attention.

Wyoming-Big Horn High School

Considering the size of this school it’s fair to say that the AGR is plenty high. But the proficiencies, while impressive, still feel kind of low.