Area schools receive Best High Schools rating

By The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

LITTLE ROCK — Several schools in the Three Rivers area have been recognized by U.S. News and World Report in its second annual list of America's Best High Schools.

According to a news release, America's Best High Schools recognizes three categories of distinction - gold, silver and bronze. Analysis is based on standardized test performance, proficiency rates of all students,including the least advantages, and challenging college-ready curriculum.

Searcy High School in White County received a silver rating. Receiving bronze ratings were Batesville High School and Cushman High School in Independence County; Highland High School and Williford High School in Sharp County; McCrory High School in Jackson County; Mount PleasantHigh School in Izard County; Mountain View High School and Timbo High School in Stone County; and Salem High School and Viola High School in Fulton County.

The silver medal recognizes high schools that met all three criteria of the America's Best High Schools methodology.

The bronze medal recognizes high schools that met the first two criteria of themethodology, but not the third. U.S. News and School Evaluation Services developed the methodology.

The survey included 21,069 high schools in 48 states.

There were no gold ratings in Arkansas.

For more information, visit the Web sites www.usnews.com/highschools or www.schoolmatters.com.

Three Rivers, Pages 126 on 02/08/2009