The top three high schools in Arkansas are in the state’s northwest region, a new ranking shows.
U.S. News & World Report puts Fayetteville’s Haas Hall Academy in the state’s No. 1 spot. It was ranked No. 116 in the nation overall and it’s the nation’s No. 41 charter school.
Immediately behind Haas Hall were No. 2 Bentonville High School and No. 3 Rogers High School. The three schools ranked in the top three positions in 2015.
“A high school education is imperative for success in both college and a career, and a school’s graduation rate is a key indicator of whether students are being effectively prepared for both paths,” said Anita Narayan, managing editor of education at U.S. News. “The 2016 Best High Schools rankings provide students and parents with data-driven information on public schools to help them make better-informed decisions about their education.”
Three other high schools in Benton and Washington counties — No. 6 Rogers Heritage, No. 8 Arkansas Arts Academy in Rogers and No. 9 Springdale — ranked among the Top 10 in the state.
U.S. News this year has included graduation rates as a major factor in its methodology, and it’s the first time graduation rates have been factor in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings. The 6,218 high schools to receive national recognition from U.S. News graduate their students at rates 15 percent higher, on average, than other schools across the country.