Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center and Paradise Honors High School were named some of the top 500 high schools in the country by Newsweek, including in a separate list of best high schools that serve a high percentage of students in poverty.
Story Published in the Phoenix Business Journal on Aug. 20, 2015
Arizona’s reputation for education may not be great, but the state had six high schools land in the top 500 in a new study developed by Newsweek.
The report actually featured two lists: one that just ranked the best schools across the country, and another that ranked those that did the best when accounting for dealing with large amounts of poor students.
No. 44: University High School, Tucson, with its 100 percent graduation rate and 100 percent college bound rate. It received a college readiness score of 87.8
No. 92: Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center, Prescott Valley, with its 100 percent graduation and college bound rates. It received an 82.2 college readiness score.
No. 166: Arizona College Prep Erie Campus, Chandler, which has a 100 percent graduation rate and 76 percent college bound rate. It received an 82.2 college readiness score.
No. 362: Paradise Honors High School, Surprise, which has a 100 percent graduation rate and a 93 percent college bound rate. It scored 77.9 for college readiness.
No. 409: Desert Mountain High School, Scottsdale, which has a 95 percent graduation rate and a 92 percent. It has a college readiness score of 77.4.
No. 446: Catalina Foothills High School, Tucson, which has a 98 percent graduation rate and 92 percent college bound rate. It has a college readiness score of 76.9.
Those were deemed the best schools. When Newsweek‘s analysis accounts for poverty, it creates a whole different set of schools. Here’s where those ranked.
No. 77: Patagonia Union High School, Patagonia.
No. 82: Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center, South Mountain Community College
No. 93: University High School, Tucson
No. 299: Arizona Agribusiness & Equine Center Estrella, Avondale
No. 300: Paradise Honors High School, Surprise
No. 343: Arizona College Prep Erie Campus, Chandler
No. 372: Arcadia High School, Phoenix
No. 499: South Ridge High School, Phoenix
For some quick examples how the second rankings are doing, take Patagonia. It has an 81 percent poverty rate and graduates 100 percent of its students, sending 87.5 percent on to college. South Ridge High School is similar, graduating 98.6 percent of its students and sending 71.8 percent to college.
For a complete look at the Newsweek report, click here.
