Newsweek Releases 2012 Best High Schools in America Rankings -- Kentucky's Gatton Academy Tops List

News provided by

May 20, 2012, 12:15 ET

NEW YORK, May 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Newsweek magazine's definitive list of the 1000 top public high schools in America hits newsstands Monday. Measuring data such as percent of graduates accepted to college, AP / IB tests per student and average SAT scores, Newsweek reveals that of the top 1000, 138 of the schools are in California, 118 in New York, 86 in Texas and 74 in New Jersey.

"Newsweek has produced this list for more than a decade, in the process we've become the leader in evaluating America's best public high schools. Education is one of the public's top concerns and this year we've seen that many schools are triumphing with very limited funds and resources. We've expanded the list from 500 to 1,000 making our 2012 study more comprehensive than ever," said Mark Miller, Director of Editorial Operations for Newsweek.

The issue hits newsstands Monday 21^st May.

The top ten schools in the country;

1	The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science	Bowling Green	KY
2	The School for the Talented and Gifted Magnet	Dallas	TX
3	Basis Scottsdale	Scottsdale	AZ
4	School of Science and Engineering Magnet	Dallas	TX
5	Basis Tucson	Tucson	AZ
6	Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School	Birmingham	AL
7	Signature School	Evansville	IN
8	Stanton College Preparatory School	Jacksonville	FL
9	Suncoast Community	Riviera Beach	FL
10	Thomas Jefferson for Science and Technology	Alexandria	VA

The 2012 ranking highlights the best 1,000 public high schools in the nation - the ones that have proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready grads. The list is based on six components provided by school administrators: graduation rate (25 percent), college matriculation rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and AP courses offered per student(5 percent).