Two high schools that serve the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area have been placed among the ten best public high schools in the United States, according to the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, located in Fairfax County, Virginia, earned the sixth‑national spot. Managing editor for education at U.S. News, Lamont Jones, noted that Jefferson has long been a top‑10 performer and “continues to perform at a very, very, very high level.” The school tied for first nationally in three key indicators: the College Readiness Index, graduation rate, and state assessment proficiency.

School Without Walls

The District of Columbia’s School Without Walls made an even larger leap, rising from No. 69 in the previous year to No. 5 this year out of nearly 18,000 high schools evaluated. Jones highlighted the school’s dramatic improvement on state assessment tests, moving from 2,488th to a tie for first place nationwide.

How the rankings are calculated

U.S. News ranks schools using six indicators of overall quality. The most heavily weighted factor, accounting for 30 % of a school’s score, is college readiness, which looks at Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate participation and performance. Graduation rates and state assessment results also play significant roles, along with metrics such as underserved student performance and college curriculum breadth.

Other local schools in the rankings

Beyond the two top‑ten schools, other schools in the Washington region also appeared in the national list. Poolesville High School, the highest‑ranked school in Montgomery County, Maryland, placed at No. 135. In Prince George’s County, College Park Academy was ranked No. 795.

Parents, educators, and community members can view the full U.S. News public high school rankings on the organization’s website.

Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.