Conard and Hall Once Again in Top 10 of State High Schools

The annual ranking of public high schools was announced Monday by U.S. News & World Report, and once again both Conard and Hall appeared not only in the top 10 for Connecticut schools, but also earned gold medal distinction for ranking in the top 500 of schools nationwide.

A total of 21,035 public high schools throughout the country were reviewed using the same methodology that determined the 2012 rankings.

For the second year in a row, Conard earned the number 2 ranking in the state. The school was ranked 218th nationwide (ranked 200th in 2012) based on criteria that includes student teacher ratio, a college readiness index (determined by percentage of students taking and passing Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate exams), and students' proficiency on standardized tests. 

A total of 72 percent of Conard students took one or more Advanced Placement (AP) exams and 55 percent received a passing grade in 2010-2011, the year used to determine the rankings.

For 2013, Hall was ranked 8th in Connecticut and 394th nationally (rankings were 6th and 322nd in 2012). In 2010-2011, 64 percent of Hall students took AP exams and 45 percent received a passing grade.

Darien High School earned the spot as the state's top-ranking public high school (217th nationally) in the 2013 U.S. News & World Report survey.

The methodology used in the rankings is a multi-step process, where information from more than 21,000 public high schools throughout the country is reviewed to determine national and statewide rankings. The top 500 schools nationwide – including both Conard and Hall – earn gold medal status.

For additional details, and the answers to Frequently Asked Questions, visit www.usnews.com. Information about other Connecticut high school rankings is also provided.