New school rankings show Orlando's top-rated and most improved public high schools

New school rankings show Orlando's top-rated and most improved public high schoolsPhoto: Unsplash
Hoodline
Published on August 13, 2019

How strong are the public high schools in Orlando?

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.

Cypress Creek High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in Orlando, rising from a B- to a B, according to data from Niche.

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 1101 Bear Crossing Drive, enrolls 3,315 students. Cypress Creek High School serves a diverse population: 63% of students identify as Hispanic, 14% identify as black and 11% identify as white. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B- on an A-D scale for academics, B- for administration and C+ 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, 23% of Cypress Creek High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 43% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 28% in math and 41% in reading. The school's improved overall rating is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 33% more than the city average.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Oak Ridge High School saw its overall rating go from a C to a C+. The school is located at 700 W. Oak Ridge Road and is a bit smaller, currently serving 2,937 students, of whom 48% identify as black and 43% identify as Hispanic.

Niche gave Oak Ridge High School mixed grades: C on an A-D scale for academics, B for administration and B+ for clubs and activities. Oak Ridge's latest math proficiency was at 16%, and reading proficiency was 24%. Oak Ridge also serves a less affluent population, with 89% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Boone High School also saw improvement in its overall rating, from an A- to an A. The school is located at 1000 E. Kaley St. and has 2,812 students currently enrolled, of whom 48% identify as white, 37% identify as Hispanic and 10% identify as black.

Niche gave Boone High School mixed grades — A- on an A-D scale for academics, A- for administration and B+ for clubs and activities. Boone High School's latest math proficiency was at 44%, and reading proficiency was 63%.

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

  • Timber Creek High School, with an overall rating of A.
  • Olympia High School, with an A rating overall.
  • Florida Virtual 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.