Montgomery County high schoolers are used to being among the best. Now a list of the Top 100 High Schools being released by U.S. News and World Report Dec. 10 confirms it.
Three of the county’s high schools made the list. Thomas S. Wootton, in Rockville, ranked No. 34, Walt Whitman, in Bethesda, placed at No. 40, and Winston Churchill, in Potomac, followed closely behind at No. 42.
“We have a great school for all kinds of kids.” Churchill PTA Vice President Karin Leszcynski said Friday. “I think what makes it a great school is that there’s something for everybody. Whether you’re the person that likes athletics, whether your a person who’s into drama and theater … It’s not just the teachers, it’s the community.”
Three other schools from the Washington suburbs also made the list. Thomas Jefferson High School, in Fairfax County, ranked No. 1. Langley and Oakton high schools, also in Fairfax, ranked Nos. 37 and 88, respectively.
U.S News analyzed 18,790 public high schools in 40 states using data from the 2005-2006 academic year to create its rankings using a methodology created by an educational research business run by Standard & Poor’s. The rankings are largely based on performance on state tests as well as Advanced Placement exam scores and participation. How economically disadvantaged children fared on those tests was also given consideration.
Ten states and the District of Columbia were not included because they either did not provide data or the information was insufficient.
Noticeably absent from U.S. News’ list were Richard Montgomery, Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Montgomery Blair, three economically and racially diverse high schools that have made other top schools lists.
“You have to do some analysisand figure out what all that means,” board of education member Steve Abrams said.
