How strong are the public high schools in Arlington?

With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year, as well as those that top the city's best public high school rankings.

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

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 2000 Sam Houston Drive, enrolls 3,728 students. Sam Houston High School serves a diverse population: 69% of students identify as Hispanic and 20% identify as black. Niche gave the school mixed grades: C on an A-D scale for academics, B+ for administration and A- for 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, 68% of Sam Houston High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 45% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 72% in math and 61% in reading. The school's improved rating is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 87% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 26% more than the city average.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Arlington High School saw its overall rating go from a B to a B+. The school is located at 818 W. Park Row and is a bit smaller, currently serving 2,750 students, of whom 41% identify as Hispanic, 36% identify as white and 17% identify as black.

Niche gave Arlington High School mixed grades: B- on an A-D scale for academics, B+ for administration and B+ for clubs and activities. Its latest math proficiency was at 74%, and reading proficiency was 59%.

Mansfield Summit High School also saw improvement in its overall rating, from a B to a B+. The school is located at 1071 W. Turner Warnell Road and has 2,128 students currently enrolled, of whom 39% identify as black, 26% identify as Hispanic and 22% identify as white.

Niche gave Mansfield Summit High School B's across the board for administration, academics and clubs and activities. The school's latest math proficiency rating was 70%, and reading proficiency was 65%.

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

• Martin High School, with an overall rating of A.
• Arlington Collegiate High School, with an A- rating overall.
• Mansfield Timberview High School, rated B+ overall.

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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.