Eleven WCSD High Schools in Nation's Top 5%
All eleven comprehensive high schools in the Washoe County School District have been named in the top 5% of high schools in the United States according to the independent Challenge Index, tabulated annually by Newsweek magazine. This year, 1,258 high schools across the country made the list.
The schools and their ranking are as follows: Galena (509), Wooster (599), McQueen (684), Incline (690), Reno (733), North Valleys (736),Sparks (754), Damonte Ranch (1014), Edward Reed (1162), Proctor Hug (1201) and Spanish Springs (1220). The only other Nevada high school to make the list was Green Valley High in Las Vegas.
The schools are ranked according to a ratio devised by Jay Mathews, Newsweek/Washington Post education writer. The "Challenge Index" takes the total number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests given at a school and divides by the number of graduating seniors. All public schools that achieved a Challenge Index ratio of 1.000 or better made the 2007 list.
Cinda Gifford, principal at North Valleys said, "The goal of our school iscontinuous improvement. We made a significant move up in the rankings, from 956 last year to 736 this year. Our challenge index rose from 1.18 to 1.56. It takes a team of committed professionals to lay the foundation and then continue to build on it day by day and year by year. We are excited to see our efforts paying off and I am proud of my faculty who truly do what-ever it takes to give all of our students with a rigorous and supportive learning environment."
The Washoe County School District is one of the nation's largest school districts to mandate that all students enrolled in AP courses take the exams for those courses. In 2006, 1,986 candidates took 3,748 AP exams. The average participating high school tested in 11.6 AP courses and administer- ed 312.3 exams to 165.5 students. In 2006, the state of Nevada administered 233 exams for every 1,000 students; in WCSD, 509 exams were taken for every 1,000 students – a much higher ratio.
The district currently offers 18 advanced placement courses.
Andrew Kelly, principal of Proctor Hug, added that "Hug is thrilled to be honored by making the top 5%. It is a well-earned tribute to all of the students at our school who have worked so hard to meet the high expectations that our staff,teachers and parents have of them. They've been challenged and they are rising to that challenge."
And Jess Castillo, principal of Wooster said "our school is proud to have made Newsweek magazine's Challenge Index for the third consecutive year. And we are equally proud of the continuing growth of the International Baccalaureate program at our school."
Students who are exposed to AP classes in high school are much more likely to complete a 4-year college course of study and achieve a university degree.
