Here Are the Top Five Ranked High Schools in Charlotte By Ryan Kouame
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s the pandemic continues and vaccines are being administered, CharlotteMecklenburg Schools are starting to open for the 2021-2022 school year. Most campuses transitioned to online learning when the pandemic began, but that didn’t stop CMS high school students from reaching their milestones. U.S. News & World Report released its ranking of the best high schools in the U.S. earlier this year, factoring in state assessments, college readiness, graduation rates, and reading and math proficiency for more than 24,000 public high schools. North Carolina high schools ranked 27th with many CharlotteMecklenburg County high schools making the list. “We are pleased that a national publication has recognized several of our schools as among the best in the nation,” said Executive Director of Communication for CharlotteMecklenburg Schools (CMS), Eve White. “District leaders are committed to providing all our students with the best possible environments in which to learn and develop,” White said. Below is a ranking of the top five schools in the region, their history and what makes them stand out:
1 Ardrey Kell High School
Established in 2006, Ardrey Kell is a public high school serving grades 9–12 in
News & World Report’s 2021 Best High Schools List, the school ranked first place in the county and 15th in North Carolina with an overall score of 96.71 out of 100.
2 the Ballantyne area. The school was named after two prominent families from the Lower Providence area who served as farmers, physicians, educators, politicians and church leaders. Their rich tradition of excellence in academics is consistently ranked best in the state. According to U.S.
“We are pleased that a national publication has recognized several of our schools as among the best in the nation. District leaders are committed to providing all our students with the best possible environments in which to learn and develop.” — Executive Director of Communication for CharlotteMecklenburg Schools (CMS), Eve White
Providence High School
Providence High ranked second place with a score of 96.24 out of 100. The secondary school opened in 1989 and currently serves more than 2,000 students. They have since added a technical building, a greenhouse, and a gym that houses a swimming pool. Providence ensures their students are well-equipped for the challenges of college and the world of work. They have the highest average SAT score and advanced placement course passage rate in the region.
More than half of their teaching faculty have master’s degrees or higher and 68% have more than 10 years of experience. They are also a blue-ribbon school, which is the highest national recognition available.
September-October 2021 | Pride Magazine
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