U.S. News ranked the top high schools in the country. Here’s how SLO County stacks up
This year’s U.S. News & World Report public high school rankings are here — San Luis Obispo High School tops the county, based on test scores, graduation rates and other criteria.
The publication releases an annual report ranking the best public, charter, magnet and STEM high schools throughout the United States using a formula that takes into account Advanced Placement exams, math and reading proficiency, and graduation rates.
U.S. News & World Report revamped its system for 2019 to review more than 23,000 public high schools and rank 17,245 of those reviewed. In 2018, the publication ranked more than 2,700 schools.
The change was made so users can get a picture of high schools beyond those designated highest performing, according to the ranking methodology.
The schools are ranked nationally and by state. The publication ranked 1,579 high schools throughout California. Some schools, such as Shandon High School, were too small to be ranked.
San Luis Obispo High School is ranked 213th in the state and 1,404th nationally. The school received a score of 91.9 overall, with a 98% graduation rate, a 75% reading proficiency rate and a 59% math proficiency rate.
More than half of students took at least one AP exam, and 46% passed at least one exam.
Rounding out the top three San Luis Obispo County schools are Coast Union High School in Cambria and Templeton High School.
Nipomo, Atascadero and Central Coast New Tech high schools make up the bottom three in the county.
Central Coast New Tech in Nipomo, the lowest-ranked school, is ranked 918th in the state and 7,082nd nationally. The school scored a 58.93 overall, with a 98% graduation rate, a 90% reading proficiency rate and a 38% math proficiency rate.
Just 9% of students took at least one AP exam, and none passed an exam.
To learn more, visit usnews.com/education/best-high-schools.
