NRI Pulse Staff Report
Atlanta, GA: The Washington Post’s list of most challenging U.S. high schools was just released. Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (GSMST) earned the top ranking in Georgia and was ranked 19th in the south and 26th in the nation. The Post ranks schools using a “Challenge Index” that considers the number of students attempting tough courses as measured by enrollment and test-taking in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced International Certificate of Education courses. GSMST ranked 26th out of 2,300 schools nationwide. The only other Georgia school in the top 100 nationwide is St. Andrew’s, a private school in Savannah, which ranked 97th. Gwinnett’s Meadowcreek High School ranked 140th nationally.
How did Gwinnett high schools rank compared to their peers in Georgia on the Washington Post Challenge Index?
GSMST 1 (ranked 19th in the South and 26th in the nation)
Meadowcreek HS 5 (ranked 80th in the South and 140th in the nation)
North Gwinnett HS 10
Archer HS 21
Berkmar HS 32
Parkview HS 34
Brookwood HS 35
Norcross HS 43
Peachtree Ridge HS 45
Mountain View HS 56
Central Gwinnett HS 57
Mill Creek HS 61
Dacula HS 62
Lanier HS 64
Duluth HS 65
Collins Hill HS 72
South Gwinnett HS 76
Grayson HS 83
Shiloh HS 115
The following explanation of the “Challenge Index” was provided in the Washington Post: The list is based on the Challenge Index. Schools qualify only if they give at least as many AP, IB or AICE exams in a year as they have graduating seniors. They are then ranked by their tests-to-graduates ratio. The Index also includes a sampling of private schools. While the ranking considers the number of AP, IB and AICE tests given, it doesn’t weigh how well the students do.
