The Public High Schools Academics grade is based on rigorous analysis of academic data from the U.S. Department of Education along with test scores, college data, and ratings collected from millions of Niche users. Learn where our data comes from.
| Factor | Description | Source | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Colleges Score | Average score of colleges that students are most interested in or go on to attend, based on Niche Best Colleges ranking. | Self-reported by Niche users | 27.9% |
| State Assessment Proficiency | Percentage of students at or above proficiency levels on state assessments. For comparison across states, percentiles within each state were calculated, then compared. | U.S. Department of Education | 19.4% |
| Graduation Rate | Percentage of 12th grade students who graduate. | U.S. Department of Education | 13.9% |
| Parent/Student Surveys on Academics | Niche survey responses scored on a 1-5 scale regarding the academics at the school. | Self-reported by Niche users | 13.9% |
| AP Enrollment | Percentage of students enrolled in at least one AP course. | Civil Rights Data Collection | 8.3% |
| AP Test Pass Rate | Percentage of AP students who pass at least one AP exam. | Civil Rights Data Collection | 8.3% |
| Student-Teacher Ratio | Ratio of students to full-time teachers. Please note: Student-teacher ratio is not a representation of average class size. | National Center for Education Statistics | 8.3% |
Statistics obtained from the U.S. Department of Education represent the most recent data available, as self-reported by the schools. Niche also collects data directly from schools via their Niche Partner Portal. If you work for a school and would like to update your data, please claim your school.
For more details about how we calculate our rankings, click here.