English, Classical named top high schools for second straight year

LYNN – Lynn English and Classical high schools can enjoy 12 more months of bragging rights as the U.S News and World Report has once again named the two schools among the best high schools in the country.
For the second straight year, the two schools enjoy bronze metal distinction on the nationally respected magazine’s list of the top public high schools in the country, joining Lynnfield High School and Manchester Junior Senior High School in Manchester-By-The-Sea as the only other institutions representing Essex County.
U.S News and World Report surveyed over 21,000 high schools in 48 states over the last year – nearly 3,000 more than in 2007 – once again teaming up with School Evaluation Services (SES), a K-12 education data research business run by Standard & Poor’s.
SES has developed a comprehensive methodology that judges how well high schools serve all of their students, not just those who are college bound. The process examines college preparation, various test scores and the education of disadvantaged students.
The schools studied were based on information available from recent state tests and the College Board’s Advanced Placement exams.
English and Classical were among 1,321 bronze metal winners across the country who are “performing better than statistically expected for the average student in the state.” In all, 45 schools in Massachusetts were chosen for a gold, silver or bronze metal.
Overall, Boston’s Latin Academy scored the best of any school in the state, coming in 27th on this year’s list, which was once again topped by Thomas Jefferson High School in Alexandria, Va. Latin’s ranking is actually down from 2007, when the magazine ranked the high school 19th in the country.
To be eligible, schools must have “significant grade 12 enrollment,” meaning that the study touched the majority of the state’s high schools.
Scores on the MCAS exams have been steadily improving at each school in recent years, especially Lynn English, and the number of students who received the state’s John and Abigail Adams scholarships for scoring well on the MCAS has swelled to near triple-digit numbers in the last year at both schools.
The study does not look at test scores alone, it also examines the school’s ability to educate underprivileged and disadvantaged students who may not be headed for college after graduation.
Both high schools succeed with extensive college preparatory programs, along with programs to help immigrant students and those struggling to pass the MCAS test.
With an increased focus on passing the state exam, each institution has also bulked up tutoring and support programs for students and bolstered efforts to help students excel in core subjects.