Public high schools in Indianapolis: What are this year's top rated

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How strong are the public high schools in Indianapolis?

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.

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

For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 5401 W. 71st St., enrolls 3,306 students. Pike High School serves a diverse population: 62% of students identify as black and 21% identify as Hispanic. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B- on an A-D scale for academics, A 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, 34% of Pike High School's students scored proficient or above in math, and 53% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 22% in math and 46% in reading. The school's improved rating is notable since it serves a less-affluent population, with 64% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Lawrence North High School saw its overall rating increase from a B to a B+. The school is located at 7802 N. Hague Road and is a bit smaller, currently serving 2,469 students, of whom 47% identify as black, 28% identify as white and 17% identify as Hispanic.

Niche gave Lawrence North 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 33%, and reading proficiency was 56%.

Perry Meridian High School also improved, from a B to a B+. The school is located at 401 W. Meridian School Road and has 2,351 students currently enrolled.

Niche gave Perry Meridian High School mixed grades — B- on an A-D scale for academics, A- for administration and B for clubs and activities. The school's latest math proficiency was 31%, and reading proficiency was 60%.

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

North Central High School, with an overall rating of A-.
Franklin Central High School, with an A- rating overall.
Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center, rated B+ 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.