Newsweek named Temple High School the 981st best public high school in the country in a study that essentially ranked the top 6 percent, or 1,500, public high schools based on the number of students who have taken advanced placement and international baccalaureate tests. The number of students taking the advanced tests was divided into the total number of graduating seniors in the district to come up with an index number.
The only other area high school ranked was Killeen High School, coming in as the 955th best school, a decrease from a 723rd ranking last year.
“We have very strong IB and Advanced Placement programs,” THS principal Jason Bullock said. “There is a culture on this campus where students want to take more tests and be involved in those programs.”
The results were provided using numbers from the 2008 graduating classes at the schools.
It was a climb up the list for THS, as last year Newsweek ranked THS as the 1,122nd best public high school in the country.
According to this year’s rankings, 16 percent of THS’ graduating seniors from 2008 had at least one passing grade on one AP or IB test. That number is down slightly from the 2007 class, when 17.7 percent of seniors had one passing grade on a test. However, when calculated with the school’s number of students who received free or reduced lunches, which rose from 45 percent to 49 percent, the ranking for the school increased.
“We’ve added a course or two to the programs over the years - but one of the reasons the ranking is growing is because the number of students participating in the programs has risen,” Bullock said. “I think that by being near the top of a list like this, you’re going to raise awareness as well.
“I think this is a big recognition for the hard work of the students and parents, as well as the teachers,” Bullock said.
Bullock went on to describe a lot of the schools near the top of the list as “magnet schools” which are specialized schools aimed at gifted and talented students.
“We’re not a magnet school - that’s not who we are,” he said. “We’re a very diverse school, with students who come from different backgrounds. To be ranked among those schools really says something.
“A pretty good number of students who graduate every year from here leave with college credits already under their belts,” Bullock said.
THS was also ranked in 2005 and 2007.
There were a total of 113 schools from Texas on the list. For a complete list visit http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160.
