This week, U.S. News & World Report released their much-anticipated yearly rankings of the best high schools in the nation. Each year, public schools across the country wait eagerly for the list to be released to see where they stack up against their peers and see if they can display the highly recognizable Best High Schools badge on their websites and social media pages.
Uplift high schools have consistently been at the top of the list for years, and this year we are proud to have all nine of our eligible high schools be among the top 30% of best high schools in the nation. But a closer look at the list reveals that Uplift schools stand apart from many of the other ranked schools on the U.S. News list.
The list ranks schools based on several factors, including college readiness, reading and math proficiency, and graduation rates. What is not considered are admission requirements. Of the top 35 ranked schools in the DFW metroplex, three of those schools are Uplift schools – Uplift North Hills, Uplift Summit International, and Uplift Williams. Of the remaining 32 schools, 18 are either magnet or specialized schools, and most have admission requirements such as admission tests, minimum GPAs, auditions, or interviews. Those that don’t have admission requirements are specialized schools, such as Early College High School (ECHS), with limited enrollment and narrow focus. While keeping students on a college path and even helping them earn college credit, these schools do not offer students a well-rounded education with strong social and community interactions.
The remaining 14 schools in the top 35 list serve a primarily non-minority population, supported by middle to high-income families.
Uplift schools stand alone on this top 35 list as the ONLY schools to successfully provide a well-rounded, college-prep education, without admission requirements based on grades or talent, while serving a 95% minority student population. We believe that EVERY child should have access to a top-quality education and that EVERY child has the potential for a bright future.
Uplift high schools offer every scholar an International Baccalaureate education and the potential to earn a highly- respected IB Diploma. This globally-focused curriculum not only prepares scholars for college and career but also builds character, critical thinking, communication, and leadership skills. As a result, Uplift scholars earn college degrees at 4X the national average for low-income students.
We don’t need to pick and choose our students, because our formula for success works across the board. Our goal is to close the opportunity gap for children of color and inspire in students a life-long love of learning, achievement, and service in order to positively change their world.
Uplift Voices 