Top MA High Schools Preparing Students for College and Career

In a Washington Post ranking of public high schools that most effectively prepare students for college, the schools ranked #1 and #2 in Massachusetts were both charter schools.  Sturgis Charter Public School in Hyannis came in first in Massachusetts and fourth in the Northeast region.  MATCH Charter Public High School in Boston ranked second in the state and seventh in the region overall.  Four Massachusetts charter schools ranked in the top eight high schools in the state.

The rankings were determined using a simple formula — divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors. According to the Post’s Jay Matthews who conducts the ranking, the rating can reveal the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing average students for college.

This is a strong showing for the charter public schools (considering they make up a very small percentage of high schools in the state) and another argument for raising the cap.  Charter schools consistently set high standards for even the most disadvantaged students.  All schools must follow suit.

Preparing students for college is a critical goal. A report from the New England Journal of Higher Education projects that 68% of all jobs in Massachusetts will require a postsecondary education by 2018. Yet, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reports that more than 1/3 of students entering Massachusetts public colleges have to take at least one remedial course in college.  Those students have a significantly greater likelihood of not completing an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

There is a lot that schools should be doing to ensure that students graduate prepared for success in college and career.  One thing all high schools should do is make MassCore, the work and college readiness curriculum, a minimum graduation requirement.  All students should have access to rigorous coursework.