Back to school: Columbus's top-rated and most-improved public high schools

Back to school: Columbus's top-rated and most-improved public high schoolsPhoto: Unsplash
Hoodline
Published on August 13, 2019

How do the public high schools in Columbus stack up?

We analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to find out how schools in your area are performing and which have made the biggest leaps over the past year.

Whetstone High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in Columbus, rising from a C+ to a B-, according to data from Niche.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 4405 Scenic Drive, enrolls 982 students. Whetstone High School serves a diverse population: 42% of students identify as white and 37% identify as black. Niche gave the school C+'s across the board for administration, academics, and clubs and activities.

The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.

Academically, 18% of Whetstone High School's students scored proficient or above in math, and 37% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 25% in math and 39% in reading.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Beechcroft High School saw its overall rating improve from a D+ to a C-. The school is located at 6100 Beechcroft Road and is a bit smaller, currently serving 656 students, of whom 71% identify as black, 10% identify as white and 10% identify as Hispanic.

Niche gave Beechcroft High School mixed grades: C- on an A-D scale for academics, C for administration and C for clubs and activities. The school's latest math proficiency was 8%, and reading proficiency was 24%. The school's upswing is notable since it serves a less-affluent population, with 74% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 11% more than the city average.

While some public high schools are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:

  • Metro Early College High School, with an overall rating of A+.
  • Worthington Kilbourne High School, with an A rating overall.
  • Columbus Alternative High School, rated A overall.

This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.