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Tuesday, May 2, 2006
Ranking High Schools
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
By popular demand, here’s a link to Newsweek’s top 1,000 high schools list. The rankings are based on the percent of students who take AP courses. It’s a powerful tool, so it’s not surprising that the College Board is cracking down on AP courses, making sure they are the real deal and not just a slightly tougher variation on traditional high school classes.
I’m off to a meeting with Atlanta Public Schools, seeking clarification on the tax increase they say they need, so I don’t have time to see which Georgia schools are represented. In past years, Lakeside High School in DeKalb has been there, as have the usual suspects in East Cobb and Gwinnett.
Is this list a good thing for good schools and for not-so-good schools as a way of shaming them into improvement? Is it good for parents who are wondering whether to sell their home and move elsewhere in search of a good high school? Parents, do you put much stock in it? How about teachers, do you love it or hate it?
