By Lynn Kutter

ENTERPRISE-LEADER

Prairie Grove High School moved from the seventh best public high school in the state to No. 4, according to the latest rankings of public high schools by U.S. News & World Report.

The three schools above Prairie Grove on the annual list published by U.S. News are charter schools. Haas Hall Academy in Fayetteville is ranked No. 1. Estem Public Charter in Little Rock is No. 2, and Lisa Academy North High Charter in Sherwood comes in at No. 3.

Out of the top 10 public high schools in the state, six are from Northwest Arkansas.

Allen Williams, superintendent of Prairie Grove schools, said he was proud of Prairie Grove High School and especially because it was the first comprehensive high school on the list, behind charter schools that have a select population.

Typically, Prairie Grove comes in behind Bentonville High School, Williams said Thursday.

"This is the first time we've been above other comprehensive schools," he added.

Bentonville is No. 5, Rogers, No. 6 and Fayetteville, No. 9.

Accolades at the high school are a testament to what the schools are doing in the lower grades, Williams said.

He said the Best High School Rankings also are a testament to education in Northwest Arkansas.

"I feel we're fortunate here. We have a lot of good schools in the area. I hope folks in Northwest Arkansas are proud of the fact that we do have all these good schools."

Williams noted there are many lists out there that rank schools in the state. He said he doesn't latch on to any of the lists as the "end all" but believes all schools can learn from each other.

Prairie Grove's #4 ranking does not surprise him.

"I see it everyday in what our teachers do. But it's nice when someone from the outside acknowledges it. It's a verification of what we do. It speaks to a lot of hard work."

U.S. News rankings highlight public schools that best serve all of their students, including disadvantaged populations, according to the magazine's website about this year's list of Best High Schools.

The rankings focus on student outcomes with an emphasis on graduation rates, scores on state proficiency tests and how well schools prepare students for college.

According to the scorecard issued by U.S. News, Prairie Grove High School has a 72 percent participation rate for students taking Advanced Placement courses and a 50 percent passing rate on AP tests. It has a 35 percent proficiency in math and a 64 percent proficiency in reading.

Prairie Grove is ranked 1,029 in the national rankings, compared to 1,116 last year.

General News on 05/16/2018