WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A report out this week ranks the best public high schools in each state. It shows the top schools in Kansas are mainly in the northeast part of the state, with only three of the top 20 in the Wichita area.
U.S. News & World Report compiles the ranking of schools every year. The directory includes each school’s enrollment and the ratio of students to teachers.
The publication uses several factors to determine a school’s rank. A third of a school’s score is determined by whether students are ready for college. Seniors need to earn a qualifying score in one AP or IB exam. Scores on state tests to graduate from high school make up another 40% of the score. Another 30% includes factors like graduation rates, curriculum, and underserved student performance.
Students in Kansas need at least 21 credits to graduate, including four English language arts, three history and government, three science, three math, one physical education, one fine arts, and six elective courses. A task force is currently considering changing those requirements.
Top 20 Kansas public high schools in 2022:
- Sumner Academy of Arts and Science (Kansas City) – view report
- Blue Valley North (Overland Park) – view report
- Shawnee Mission East (Shawnee Mission) – view report
- Olathe Northwest (Olathe) – view report
- Blue Valley (Stilwell) – view report
- Blue Valley West (Overland Park) – view report
- Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park) – view report
- Andover Central (Andover) – view report
- Blue Valley Southwest (Overland Park) – view report
- Northeast Magnet (Wichita/Bel Aire) – view report
- Lawrence Free State (Lawrence) – view report
- Rock Creek (St. George) – view report
- Mill Valley (Shawnee) – view report
- Manhattan (Manhattan) – view report
- Shawnee Mission South (Shawnee Mission) – view report
- De Soto (De Soto) – view report
- Andover (Andover) – view report
- Shawnee Mission Northwest (Shawnee Mission) – view report
- Olathe North (Olathe) – view report
- Holton (Holton) – view report
Top Wichita-area public high schools:
- Andover Central – view report
- Northeast Magnet – view report
- Andover – view report
- Wichita East – view report
- Hesston – view report
- Mulvane – view report
- Maize – view report
- Wellington – view report
- Maize South – view report
- Goddard Eisenhower – view report
Top Topeka-area public high schools:
- Holton – view report
- Marais Des Cygnes Valley – view report
- Washburn Rural – view report
- Jefferson West – view report
- Shawnee Heights – view report
- Valley Falls – view report
- Jefferson County North – view report
- Topeka – view report
- Jackson Heights – view report
- Perry Lecompton – view report
Top Lawrence-area public high schools:
- Lawrence Free State – view report
- Lawrence – view report
- Baldwin – view report
- Eudora – view report
- Lawrence Virtual School – view report
Top Manhattan-area public high schools:
- Rock Creek – view report
- Manhattan – view report
- Onaga – view report
- Wamego – view report
- Junction City – view report
In all, U.S. News & World Report ranked about 18,000 public high schools. To see its list of about 360 Kansas schools, click here.