Chicago's very own Walter Payton College Preparatory High School has clinched the No. 5 spot in the latest ranking of the ‘Best High Schools’ in the nation for 2024, as reported by U.S. News & World Report. This prestigious institution has accomplished a notable feat with a celebrated 100% graduation rate, also being ranked as Illinois's top high school. This accolade arrives as a testament to the school's dedication to preparing students for higher education and beyond.
The criteria to fastidiously gauge these schools involved college readiness, assessment of state testing, graduation rates, the breadth of the college curriculum, and the performance of underserved students. The meticulous process, which reviewed more than 24,000 public high schools across the United States, has returned a formidable ranking of nearly 18,000 schools. Walter Payton College Prep didn't just casually float to the top, they earned their stripes through hard work and academic rigor that was enough to make them stand apart from the crowd.
A noteworthy point of pride for Chicago is that five of its high schools made it to the top 100 nationwide, as per a report by NBC Chicago. Apart from Walter Payton College Prep's impressive ranking, Northside College Preparatory High School, Young Magnet High School, Jones College Prep High School, and Lane Technical High School have also emerged on the illustrious list, adding ample evidence to the educational strength centered in Chicago.
While the city soars with its academic achievements, the suburbs too have something to celebrate, with schools like Adlai E. Stevenson High School and New Trier Township High School in Winnetka also being highlighted in state-specific recognition, according to the same NBC Chicago report. It seems like the state of Illinois, with its blend of urban and suburban academic institutions, continues to rigorously push and prepare its students to excel and thrive in an increasingly competitive educational landscape.
At the national level, BASIS Charter Schools in Peoria, Arizona, took home the top spot. At the same time, Signature School in Evansville, Indiana, held strong at No. 2 with a 100% graduation rate and a 99.5 in "College Readiness," per information from CBS News. This national recognition serves as a clarion call to the importance of school performance and the endless potential residing in the country’s youth. With rankings to celebrate, Chicago's high schools are setting a standard and reinforcing the city's reputation as an epicenter of education.
