Another day, another national list of high school rankings for BASIS.ed schools to dominate. Actually, make that two consecutive days of domination.
BASIS.ed has three schools in its vaunted network atop rankings published Monday night (April 18, 2016) by U.S. News & World Report, as well as an unprecedented six schools atop rankings published on two rankings lists Sunday (April 17, 2016) by The Washington Post. The Post has a numeric rankings list, as well as a list of best American schools with “elite students” — that is, average SAT scores above a certain high threshold. Three BASIS.ed schools were on each Washington Post list.
The six schools ranked by the Post were the only six BASIS.ed schools eligible for its rankings. All four BASIS.ed schools eligible for the U.S. News & World Report rankings were also recognized by that publication, including BASIS Chandler, which is on the Post‘s “Public Elites” rankings list, and also received a bronze medal from U.S. News.
Here is a list of the nationally ranked BASIS.ed schools:
BASIS Scottsdale
- On The Washington Post‘s list of “Top Performing U.S. Schools with Elite Students”
- U.S. News & World Report “Nation’s Best High Schools” #2
- U.S. News #1 charter school in the U.S.
- U.S. News #4 STEM school in the U.S.
- U.S. News #1 high school in Arizona
BASIS Oro Valley
- The Washington Post‘s “Most Challenging High Schools” – #1 in the U.S.
- U.S. News & World Report “Nation’s Best High Schools” #6
- U.S. News #3 charter school in the U.S.
- U.S. News #161 STEM school in the U.S.
- U.S. News #3 high school in Arizona
BASIS Tucson North
- The Washington Post‘s “Most Challenging High Schools” – #4 in the U.S.
- U.S. News & World Report “Nation’s Best High Schools” #3
- U.S. News #2 charter school in the U.S.
- U.S. News #6 STEM school in the U.S.
- U.S. News #2 high school in Arizona
BASIS Chandler
- The Washington Post‘s list of “Top Performing U.S. Schools with Elite Students”
- U.S. News & World Report “Best High Schools” bronze medal
BASIS Flagstaff
- The Washington Post‘s “Most Challenging High Schools” – #2 in the U.S.
BASIS Peoria
- The Washington Post‘s list of “Top Performing U.S. Schools with Elite Students”
“This is quite a record,” said The Washington Post‘s acclaimed veteran education reporter and columnist Jay Mathews. “It’s one the BASIS.ed educators should all be very proud of.”
No other network placed three schools (Chandler, Peoria, Scottsdale) on the list of public elites, or three schools in the top ten — or the top four — of the “Most Challenging High Schools” rankings (Oro Valley #1, Flagstaff #2, Tucson North #4). Obviously, no other network did both of those things, either.
It’s important to note that U.S. News and Washington Post rankings are extremely different in how they analyze data and rank schools. “It’s truly incredible,” BASIS.ed CEO Peter Bezanson said. “The U.S. News announcement is the icing on the cake for what is shaping up to be a huge week for these — and all — BASIS.ed schools.”
It is the first year that BASIS Flagstaff and BASIS Peoria are eligible for The Washington Post rankings, which are released every April and are based on a number of factors, including the number of college-level tests given at a school in the previous year, divided by the number of that year’s graduates. The percentage of students who come from families that qualify for lunch subsidies, and the percentage of graduates who passed at least one college-level test during their high school career, are also part of the complex assessment.
BASIS Oro Valley and BASIS Chandler each made its debut on the Post‘s renowned list last year, at #1 and #2. BASIS Scottsdale and BASIS Tucson North, the two oldest “legacy” BASIS.ed schools, have repeatedly been on the list, including last year when Tucson North was #6 and BASIS Scottsdale was once again on the “Public Elites” list.
Meanwhile, the 2016 U.S. News & World Report rankings include data on more than 21,500 public high schools and are based on both the schools’ performance on state assessments, and how well they prepare students for college as measured by student participation and performance on high level tests such as the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams. U.S. News differentiates these schools with gold, silver and bronze medals.
“These rankings aren’t a given — even though it might seem like it,” Bezanson said. “Our students and teachers should be extremely proud of their hard work and accomplishments.”
BASIS Scottsdale and BASIS Tucson North, the most established institutions in the BASIS.ed network, have also been named the #4 and #6 STEM schools in the nation by U.S. News, based on students’ participation and success in Advanced Placement science and math tests.
“This says so much about what we all do here — employees, teachers, school administrators, parents, and all of our students,” Bezanson said. “We don’t do it ‘for the rankings’ — but it’s nice for the teachers and students to be recognized.
“BASIS.ed schools provide our faculty with the opportunity to teach a discipline they love in a culture that cherishes their expertise and passion. Our teachers set high expectations and match that challenge with extraordinary levels of support. The real winners are the BASIS students at these six ranked schools and across the network: they rise to the challenge, and through hard work they ensure that their opportunities, their futures, are unbounded.”
Thanks Basis Scottsdale for all you do to encourage our children to be all they can be. You have provided our daughter the opportunity to achieve her best.
Very proud of Basis.ed schools. Way to go Basis Scottsdale for the “Nth” year in a row! Sustained performance at the National and International level is no fluke. We have been witnessing some educational magic in the Arizona Desert. Very proud, very lucky to have both my children graduate from here – for FREE.
Excellent blog!