Twelve San Diego County high schools made the U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 top 100 public high schools in California. Eight of those ranked in the top 500 schools nationwide.
U.S. News & World Report said it ranked about 17,790 public high schools, out of more than 24,000 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia -- the report ranked 1,612 schools in California.
It used six indicators of school quality to calculate the rankings including the number of students who took and passed AP and/or IB exams, performance on state-required tests, underserved student performance, and graduation rates.
Here are the 12 schools from top to bottom:
The Preuss School UC San Diego, a charter school under the San Diego Unified School District, came out on top at No. 9 in all of California and No. 87 nationwide -- the only San Diego school to rank in the top 100. The No. 1 high school in the county serves low-income students from families where they would be the first to graduate from college.
“From the first day they arrive, we tell our scholars that they are going to college. Our educators help grow their talent and ambition through caring mentorship, leading them to achieve a bright future," Executive Director of The Preuss School Dr. Helen V. Griffith said.
Canyon Crest Academy in Carmel Valley, part of San Dieguito Union High School District, was close behind at No. 16 in California; and No. 157 nationwide.
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Mt. Everest Academy, an independent study school in the San Diego Unified School District, was ranked No. 30 in California and No. 238 nationwide.
Westview High School in Torrey Highlands, under the Poway Unified School District, ranked No. 49 in California and No. 400 nationwide.
River Valley Charter in Lakeside, a partial-independent study school under Lakeside Union School District, ranked No. 51 in California and No. 413 nationwide.
Del Norte High School in 4S Ranch, under Poway Unified, ranked No. 55 in the state and No. 436 nationwide.
The O'Farrell Charter School, part of San Diego Unified, ranked No. 56 in the state and No. 447 nationwide. La Jolla High School, also part of San Diego Unified, ranked No. 61 in the state and No. 491 nationwide.
Torrey Pines High School, part of San Dieguito Union HSD, ranked No. 85. Scripps Ranch High School, under San Diego Unified, ranked No. 88.
Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad ranked No. 92 and San Dieguito High School Academy in Encinitas ranked No. 99 in California.
