U.S. News: Best high schools in Georgia

The other schools in the top five for Georgia are DeKalb School of the Arts, Savannah Arts Academy, Davidson Magnet School, and Walton High School.

All but Walton and the Gwinnett school have selective admissions. And all but Davidson Magnet School have rates of low-income students far below the state average.

Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology, which U.S. News ranked as the number-one school in Georgia last year was initially left off this year's list because of a database error, U.S. News said.

The rankings are based on how student performance on state tests compares to schools with similar proportions of low-income, black and Hispanic students. They also take into account graduation rates and how many students take AP exams and pass at least one.

Here are the top 20 high schools in Georgia, according to U.S. News:

1. (tie) Columbus High School - Muscogee County

1. (tie) Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science and Technology - Gwinnett County

2. DeKalb School of the Arts - Dekalb County

3. Savannah Arts Academy - Chatham County

4. Davidson Magnet School - Richmond County

5. Walton High School - Cobb County

6. Fulton Science Academy High School - Fulton County

7. Cambridge High School - Fulton County

8. Northview High School - Fulton County

9. Alpharetta High School - Fulton County

10. North Gwinnett High School - Gwinnett County

11. Johns Creek High School - Fulton County

12. Chattahoochee High School - Fulton County

13. South Forsyth High School - Forsyth County

14. Chamblee Charter High School - Dekalb County

15. Roswell High School - Fulton County

16. Lassiter High School - Cobb County

17. Oconee County High School - Oconee County

18. Lambert High School - Forsyth County

19. West Forsyth High School - Forsyth County

20. Decatur High School - Decatur City