U.S. News & World Report releases high school rankings. See where Volusia, Flagler fall
U.S. News & World Report Tuesday released its list of the nation's top high schools.
Ratings are based on each school's state-required test performance, graduation rates and college-readiness. Specific classification factors include the following: college readiness index, college curriculum benchmark index, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, and graduation rate.
The School for Advanced Studies in Miami-Dade County Public Schools was Florida's only school to make the top 10, ranking third nationwide and first in the state of Florida. The school scored high due to its opportunities for Advanced Placement coursework and exams as well as high participation.
Here is how public high schools in Volusia and Flagler ranked out of nearly 25,000 nationwide:
Volusia County Schools
Spruce Creek High School
State ranking: 106
National ranking: 1,627
Spruce Creek ranked first in Volusia County with a scorecard rating of 90.8 out of 100. The school’s college readiness index – a weighted average based 25% on AP or IB participation rates, and 75% on the quality-adjusted AP or IB participation rates – is 53 out of 100, and its graduation rate is 93%. Spruce Creek’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 80%.
Seabreeze High School
State ranking: 260
National ranking: 4,910
Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach ranked second in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 72.23. The school’s college readiness index is 29.6, and its graduation rate is 92%. Seabreeze’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 65%.
New Smyrna Beach High School
State ranking: 270
National ranking: 5,064
New Smyrna Beach High School ranked third in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 71.36. The school’s college readiness index is 24.8, and its graduation rate is 96%. New Smyrna Beach’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 81%.
University High School
State ranking: 284
National ranking: 5,328
University High School in Orange City ranked fourth in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 69.86. The school’s college readiness index is 31.6, and its graduation rate is 92%. University’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 65%.
DeLand High School
State ranking: 305
National ranking: 5,804
DeLand High School ranked fifth in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 67.17. The school’s college readiness index is 30, and its graduation rate is 96%. DeLand’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 62%.
Atlantic High School
State ranking: 315
National ranking: 6,108
Atlantic High School in Port Orange ranked sixth in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 65.45. The school’s college readiness index is 27.5, and its graduation rate is 92%. Atlantic’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 67%.
T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School
State ranking: 350
National ranking: 6,955
T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson ranked seventh in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 60.66. The school’s college readiness index is 30.4, and its graduation rate is 91%. T. Dewitt Taylor’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 60%.
Mainland High School
State ranking: 365
National ranking: 7,423
Mainland High School in Daytona Beach ranked eighth in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 58.01. The school’s college readiness index is 21.9, and its graduation rate is 88%. Mainland’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 61%.
Deltona High School
State ranking: 419
National ranking: 8,915
Deltona High School ranked ninth in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 49.57. The school’s college readiness index is 16.8, and its graduation rate is 97%. Deltona’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 60%.
Pine Ridge High School
State ranking: 444
National ranking: 9,864
Pine Ridge High School in Deltona ranked 10th in Volusia County with an overall scorecard rating of 44.21. The school’s college readiness index is 15.2, and its graduation rate is 91%. Pine Ridge’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 67%.
Volusia Virtual Instructional Program
State ranking: 539-618
National ranking: 13,261-17,680
Volusia Virtual Instructional Program ranked 11 in Volusia County. U.S. News & World Report did not give Volusia Virtual Instructional Program an overall scorecard rating or college readiness index or share its graduation rate. The program’s highest proficiency rating was in science with 47%.
Volusia County Schools was unable to immediately provide a comment.
Flagler Schools
Matanzas High School
State ranking: 318
National ranking: 6,202
Matanzas High School in Palm Coast was the top-rated high school in Flagler County with an overall scorecard rating of 64.92. The school’s college readiness index is 19.5, and its graduation rate is 94%. Matanzas’ highest proficiency rate was in science with 62%.
Flagler-Palm Coast High School
State ranking: 344
National ranking: 6,526
Flagler-Palm Coast High School in Palm Coast ranked second in Flagler County with an overall scorecard rating of 63.09. The school’s college readiness index is 23, and its graduation rate is 90%. Flagler-Palm Coast’s highest proficiency rate was in science with 54%.
"Flagler Schools is extremely proud of the work put in by our faculty, staff, administrators, students and families each and every year to place our high schools on the U.S. News list. They do consistently move Flagler forward in all they do,” said Jason Wheeler, Flagler Schools coordinator of communications, in an email. “While this is just one ‘ranking,’ both schools regularly wind up in the top ¼ of the 25,000 public high schools the publication monitors, even when it went to a more robust set of metrics a few years ago.”
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia, Flagler schools ranked by U.S. News & World Report
