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U.S. News & World Report this spring revealed the 2020 Best High Schools, with a number of Surprise schools among those recognized.
This edition ranks more schools across America than ever before, evaluating more than 17,700 public high schools on how well they serve all of their students, regardless of economic or ethnic background.
“The Best High Schools rankings provide the most comprehensive, data-based information on nearly every public high school in the country,” U.S. News managing editor of education Anita Narayan stated in a news release. “Families can use this information to see how their local schools compare on graduation rates and state assessments, as well as academic performance by students who are traditionally underserved – those who are black, Hispanic or from low-income households.”
The methodology takes a holistic approach to evaluating schools, focusing on six factors: college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates. College readiness measures participation and performance on AP and IB exams.
Paradise Honors High School, 12775 N. 175th Ave., Surprise, is ranked 65th within Arizona. It is the only high school in the Paragon Management Inc.
Shadow Ridge High School, 10909 N. Perryville Road, Surprise, is ranked 113rd within Arizona. Shadow Ridge is 1 of 5 high schools in the Dysart Unified District.
Willow Canyon High School, 17901 W. Lundberg St., Surprise, is ranked 145th within Arizona.
Valley Vista High School, 15550 N. Parkview Place, Surprise, is ranked 159th within Arizona.
Imagine Prep Surprise, 14850 N. 156th Ave., Surprise, is ranked 187th within Arizona. Imagine Prep is the only high school in the Imagine Prep Surprise Inc.
Steve Stockmar has been with the Independent Newsmedia team since 2017. An NAU alum and Peoria resident, Steve’s community journalism pursuits focus mostly on arts & culture, education, and profiles of neighbors making a difference. In his spare time Steve plays in a vintage baseball league using uniforms and rules from the 1860s, and also acts (badly) in community theater. In addition, he has an unhealthy obsession with baseball and the Chicago Cubs.
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