Rank the Top 10 NoVa High Schools
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Anonymous
The challenge index only counts the AP/IB classes taken by SENIORS. It is an index that can be used for comparisons, but you have to understand its limitations. AP classes, are frequently taken by juniors and sophomores as well. Also, the challenge index doesn't make any measure of HOW WELL those kids do on AP exams -- i.e. pass or fail them? Some schools have a lot of kids taking AP classes, but they don't pass them. Jay Matthews would say that passing the exam isn't the point b/c the value in AP classes is in exposing kids to that level of academic rigor, and then they are more likely to go to college. But, if you are comparing the quality of the teaching or the quality of the student body (re: academic prowess), you would want to start with a standard curriculum and then look for results (i.e. passing or not). As with all measuring sticks -- you have to understand what it is measuring. The challenge index has some value -- but it is not the last word. |
Anonymous
The challenge index counts ALL the AP classes taken by ALL the students and divides by the # of seniors. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/how-the-americas-most-challenging-high-schools-list-works/2017/05/03/e6483160-2919-11e7-a616-d7c8a68c1a66_story.html?utm_term=.594c60207ed3 |
Anonymous
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The Challenge Index hasn't been updated this year. This is a more recent assessment of the top high schools in the state.
https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/virginia |
Anonymous
It is not a better list, it is a different list. |
Anonymous
It’s open to debate whether it’s a better methodology. It is a fact that it was published more recently. |
Anonymous
I dont see Chantilly HS mentioned here enough - why 
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Anonymous
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TJ and Maggie Walker are the only two schools in NoVa which are in the top 100 public HS in the country
https://patch.com/virginia/mclean/virginia-dc-100-best-public-high-schools-new-list-released |
Anonymous
| Does anyone have children in Maggie Walker? |
Anonymous
Richmond is not NoVa. Looks like seven of the top 10 in the state are FCPS. |
Anonymous
Maggie Walker is not northern VA. It is Richmond. |
Anonymous
This list is from Niche. Niche is not a real/legit ranking, so this list does not belong here. |
Anonymous
Yes. It is a list that is published more recently. But, it is a crap list: it ranks on a college readiness index they define, only they throw out certain schools because a sub-group does badly. I am sorry if one group does bad, but if the overall college readiness index says 75%, it should be listed in the place as 75%. Skip the gold medal, maybe.... |
Anonymous
It's not a crap list because it declines to rank schools that are doing a below-average job with their minority and low-income students (Yorktown and Madison being the prime examples). People pay attention to the US News ratings and maybe this will give those schools an incentive to do better. If you want a list that goes solely by college readiness (students both taking and passing AP/IB courses), you can look at the E&E rating on the Washington Post site. The top 10 NoVa public schools by E&E rating (TJHSST is not ranked because it's a magnet) are: 1. George Mason 2. H-B Woodlawn 3. Langley 4. McLean 5. Madison 6. Yorktown 7. Marshall 8. Oakton 9. Robinson 10. Woodson |
Anonymous
Top #10 in NoVa per Niche: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology McLean High School Woodson High School Oakton High School Washington Lee High School Madison High School Chantilly High School Langley High School Stone Bridge High School Briar Woods High School |
Anonymous
Niche is not a legitimate source. |