Published: June 19, 2009 10:31 pm      

3 Edmond schools ranked among Newsweek’s ‘Top of the Class’ listing

EDMOND — All three Edmond high schools have been named to Newsweek magazine’s list of the 1,500 Best High Schools in America this year, according to a report released recently.

This is not the first time the schools have been recognized by Newsweek magazine. All three schools made the Top 1,500 list in 2008, 2007, 2005 and 2003.

“Newsweek’s listing of all three Edmond high schools within this prestigious list is further validation of our schools’ relative strength on a nationwide scale,” said David Goin, superintendent of Edmond schools.

“Primary criteria for inclusion on this list of the top 6 percent of schools in the nation, relates to participation in IB and AP programs/testing and also includes an ‘excellence and equity’ component that factors schools’ free/reduced lunch participation.”

Although a list has not been published each year since the inception of the award, Newsweek also published lists based on this formula in 1998 and 2000.

Edmond North High School ranked 462 out of the 1,500 schools listed while Memorial ranked 804 and Santa Fe ranked 1,085.

“Edmond North continues to increase the Advanced Placement program as a vital part of the college preparatory program that over 90 percent of North students complete,” said Jan Keirns, North principal. “All college-bound students are encouraged to accept the challenge and rigor on an AP course to help them be better prepared for higher education.”

Keirns added the AP college level course, taught by a College Board trained and experienced high school teacher in a smaller classroom setting, provides students the opportunity not only to test for possible college credit but also gives students the time management skills, experience in reading and comprehending college textbooks, and discussions in interpretation and analysis at a much greater depth.

“North encourages every student to seek their passion, to find a subject they love to learn, and take a course that meets that passion,” Keirns said. “Every year with increased AP enrollment, the ACT composite score has also increased. Edmond North is proud to offer such a high functioning, open equity program.”

According to educational services coordinator intern Glenda Choate, in the three high schools there were 1,793 students enrolled in 29 AP courses in 2008-09.

Other Oklahoma schools making the list and their ranking include: Classen School of Advanced Studies (OKC academic magnet school), 14; Booker T. Washington (Tulsa academic magnet school), 74; Harding Charter Prep (OKC college preparatory charter school), 193; Norman North, 820; Edison Prep (Tulsa college preparatory school), 876; and Jenks, 1,019.

“At No. 471, Edmond North is one of eight Oklahoma high schools in the top 1,500,” Keirns said, “and the top comprehensive high school in the state.”

Newsweek’s formula ranks schools according to a rationale that looks at the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at the school and then divides that by the number of graduating seniors. Jay Mathews, a Washington Post staff writer and Newsweek contributing editor developed the formula more than 10 years ago.

Mathews said it is more important that a school is on the list, but less important as to where the school is placed on the list.

Goin added that six of the eight benchmark group district partners also have high schools on the list including: Adams 12, Colo., with two of five high schools listed; Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with two of four high schools listed; Naperville, Ill., with two of two high schools listed; Millard, Neb., with all three of its high schools listed; Williamson County, Tenn., with five of eight high schools listed; and Keller, Texas, with two of three high schools listed.

Newsweek surveyed more than 27,000 high schools in the United States for the study.