13 Austin-area high schools rank in top 100 in the state

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - 13 Austin-area high schools rank in the top 100 best in the state according to a new report from U.S. News & World Report released Tuesday.

The Liberal Arts and Science Academy High School, a magnet school in Austin ISD, ranked number five in the state and number 28 in the U.S. According to the report, LASA has a 100 percent graduation rate and a college readiness index score of 98.8 out of 100, which is calculated based on student performance on state-required and college-level coursework exams. LASA also ranks number 40 in STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math) high schools in the nation.

Westlake Academy Charter School (13 in the state, 116 in the country) and the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders (19 in the state and 137 in the country) also ranked in the top 25. Westlake Academy has a 99 percent graduation rate and a 93.9 college readiness index score and the Richards School has a 100 percent graduation rate with a 79.3 college readiness index score.

Other Austin-area schools included in the top 100 are KIPP Austin Collegiate (#31), Westlake High School (#37), Meridian School (#39), Westwood High School (#53), Vandegrift High School (#72), Chaparral Star Academy (#83), NYOS Charter School, (#91), Gateway College Preparatory School (#94), Harmony Science Academy North Austin (#95) and Round Rock High School (#99).

Dallas ISD and Houston ISD had the top four schools in the state: Science and Engineering Magnet School (#1), The School for the Talented and Gifted (#2), DeBakey High School for Health Professionals (#3), and Carnegie Vanguard High School (#4).

The report uses data from the Common Core of Data from the U.S. Department of Education, state education agencies, the College Board, and International Baccalaureate to rank the 17,245 public high schools included in the list.

U.S. News used six ranking indicators to produce each school's overall score: College Readiness (30 percent), College Curriculum Breadth (10 percent), Math and Reading Proficiency (20 percent), Math and Reading Performance (20 percent), Underserved Student Performance (10 percent) and Graduation Rate (10 percent). 

The report also ranked charter and magnet schools for the first time, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education. Three Austin-area schools ranked in the top 100 charter schools in the nation: Westlake Academy Charter School (#30), KIPP Austin Collegiate (#51) and Meridian School (#58). No Austin-area magnet schools ranked in the top 100.

To see the full list and read the methodology behind the rankings, visit here.