Overland High School, which serves one of the most diverse student populations in the state with a rigorous college and career preparatory curriculum, has been named to U.S. News and World Report’s list of Best High Schools for 2020. Overland has moved up in that nationwide ranking and joins all five of the Cherry Creek School District's other comprehensive high schools on this prestigious national list.
"I am so proud of this accomplishment. It is evidence of a staff not afraid to meet the challenges and rise to the occasion of excellence," said Overland Principal Aleshia Armour. She explained that in the past year, teachers and staff reexamined how students were engaging in learning and made structural changes to everything from professional development to attendance policies to ensure that the needs of all students were being met. She added that Overland students also rose to new heights. "We are incredibly proud of our students - from our English language learners and Advanced Placement and Honors students, to our concurrent enrollment and STEM students - for their perseverance and achievement."
Overland High School, along with Cherokee Trail High School, Cherry Creek High School, Eaglecrest High School, Grandview High School and Smoky Hill High School are all featured in the national rankings, which figure in college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates. The list also factored in academic performance by traditionally underserved students. Endeavor Academy, the district’s alternative high school, also earned a spot on the list.
According to CCSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Siegfried, the U.S. News and World Report’s ranking reflects the district’s commitment to connecting students of all backgrounds and interests with access to rigorous and real-world learning. From their access to top-notch curriculum to their shared focus on equity and opportunity, CCSD’s high schools reflect the district’s broader mission to “inspire every student to think, to learn, to achieve, to care.”
“All of our high schools share a common commitment to excellence, and their inclusion on this list reflects the hard work of our students, our teachers and our administrators,” Siegfried said. “Every one of these schools is its own unique learning community, but they all offer their own way of connecting students with their pathways of purpose. Our high schools are a critical bridge for all of our students to the next phase of their lives, whether it’s college, a career, service in the military or professional training.”
The rankings relied on six factors in their calculations: college readiness (which measures performances on AP and IB exams), reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates.
The list also features rankings by state and by metro area. More than 17,700 public high schools were evaluated for the national list.
“The Best High Schools rankings provide the most comprehensive, data-based information," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News in a news release. "Families can use this information to see how their local schools compare on graduation rates and state assessments, as well as academic performance by students who are traditionally underserved – those who are black, Hispanic or from low-income households.”
Visit the U.S. News and World Report’s website to view specific rankings and data.
Posted 5/20/20 at 10:30 AM
