The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology is ranked the 12th best high in America and the No. 1 school in Georgia in the 2020 U.S. News & Wold Report rankings released this week.
The high-performing Lawrenceville public school has been earning top marks from U.S. News and other ranking systems for years. It has placed in the top 10 on the national list for multiple years.
In explaining the school’s standing, U.S. News said, “Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement coursework and exams. The AP participation rate at Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology is 99%. The total minority enrollment is 81%, and 32% of students are economically disadvantaged.”
The magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s high schools is heavily influenced by student performance on tests, especially AP tests.
The highest weight, 30%, goes to college readiness, which is based on the proportions of 12th graders who took and passed at least one AP or IB exam. (Passing is worth three times more than just taking.)
The ranking also considers math and reading math and reading proficiency on state exams, the performance of minority, low-income and historically underserved students, the proportions of 12th graders who took and passed AP and IB exams in multiple areas and the graduation rate.
The usual suspects appear on the 2020 top 10 Georgia list. Davidson Magnet School is ranked second in the state; Columbus High school is third; DeKalb School of the Arts is fourth; Walton High in Cobb is fifth; Savannah Arts Academy is sixth; Alpharetta High is seventh; Lambert in Forsyth County is eighth; Lake Oconee Charter is ninth; Northview in Fulton is tenth.
Almost all the high schools in the top 20 in Georgia are in the metro area. You can see the full state list here to find your school. Many of the top performers are in higher income areas of the state or are academic magnets that draw the brightest and most ambitious students. Here is the national list.
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