Mercer Island High School Ranks 6th in Washington State in Newsweek

Mercer Island High School scored well on national lists this year, ranked in the top 500 of Newsweek's list of "America's Best High Schools."

The list, released over the weekend, follows the recent The Washington Post also published its national ranking, called "The High School Challenge".

The three lists all depend in part on the number of advanced subject tests taken by students at the schools, as well as other variables. The tests can be either Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate.

“I am extremely proud of our students and staff at Mercer Island High School,” said Dr. Gary Plano, Superintendent of the Mercer Island School District. “The Newsweek rankings are extremely competitive, and it is an honor for our high school to be listed among these outstanding schools.”

In the Newsweek ranking, MIHS came in at number 431 of 1,900 public high schools nationwide and sixth in the state. The International School in Bellevue was the state's highest-ranked school and 24th nationally. Other top finishers include local MIHS rivals Interlake High School, Newport High School, Bellevue High School and scored in the top 200, according to the list. They were also the top-ranked schools in the state, according to the list.

According to Newsweek, the list is based on six components provided by school administrators: graduation rate (25 percent), college matriculation rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and AP courses offered  per student(5 percent).

Newsweek’s America’s Best High Schools 2012

School

National Ranking

Newsweek Score

International School

24

1.59

Newport High School

105

0.99

Interlake High School

114

0.94

Bellevue High School

165

0.81

Last year, after the publication changed its data collection practices and shortened its submission timeline, according to then-principal John Harrison.

The other ranking, the Washington Post's Challenge Index, is based on a slightly different formula of dividing 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. The Post noted that while the index is "not a measure of the overall quality of the school, the rating can reveal the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing average students for college."

Washington Post 2012 Challenge Index Rankings

School

National Ranking

State Ranking

Index Score

International School

40

1

6.954

Interlake High School

47

2

6.358

Newport High School

83

3

5.335

Bellevue High School

93

4

5.069

Mercer Island High School

1474

25

1.428

-- Information provided by the

On the Web

Newsweek's "America’s Best High Schools 2012"

Washington Post "The High School Challenge"