21 Long Island high schools make Newsweek’s top 500
Great Neck South High School, with a ranking of 38th, led the group of 21 Long Island schools that placed in Newsweek's ranking of the nation's top 500 public high schools, released Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. Members of Great Neck South's Class of 2016 are pictured at commencement on June 23. Credit: Newsday / William Perlman
Twenty-one Long Island high schools are among the nation’s top 500 public high schools ranked by Newsweek magazine in its annual list, released Thursday.
Great Neck South High School, ranked 38th, led the local group, followed by Jericho High School at 45th. The two Nassau County districts were the only systems on the Island in the top 50.
“Our students’ accomplishments reflect their passion for learning and their remarkable commitment to success in all endeavors,” Stephen C. Lando, Great Neck assistant superintendent for secondary education, said in a statement. “They share these traits with their teachers, administrators and parents, all of whom are supported by an exceptional board of education and embraced by the community at large.”
The Great Neck district’s other high school, Great Neck North, also was in the top 500, ranking 142nd.
Jericho spokeswoman Denise Nash noted, “Jericho’s motto is ‘Success for every student,’ and the high school is no different — offering all students many opportunities, including a large selection of electives and AP classes. This allows students to find their passion and take classes that interest them, creating a great culture for learning.”
Newsweek worked with the Maryland-based research firm Westat to produce the 2016 Newsweek High School Rankings.
The analysis looked at performance indicators such as proficiency rates on state standardized assessments, using data reported by states to EDFacts at the U.S. Department of Education.
The schools that met the first threshold then were evaluated on college readiness indicators, such as the number of full-time guidance counselors, college acceptance and enrollment, participation in and performance on SAT and ACT college admissions tests, and other factors.
Researchers used 2012-13 data for the short-list analysis, the most recent reliable data available in the public federal National Center for Education Statistics database.
For the survey, however, they gathered data for the 2014-15 school year to give a more recent snapshot of school performance on college readiness.
The Long Island high schools in the top 500 and their rankings are:
- Great Neck South: 38
- Jericho High School: 45
- Manhasset High School: 92
- Syosset High School: 118
- George W. Hewlett High School, Hewlett: 134
- Great Neck North High School: 145
- John F. Kennedy High School, Bellmore: 160
- Herricks High School: 207
- Garden City High School: 212
- Smithtown West High School: 231
- Sayville High School: 239
- Mepham High School, Bellmore: 266
- Sanford H. Calhoun High School, Merrick: 300
- Bethpage High School: 305
- Half Hollow Hills High School West, Dix Hills: 314
- Mount Sinai High School: 358
- Lynbrook High School: 374
- Massapequa High School: 401
- Hauppauge High School: 418
- Paul D. Schreiber High School, Port Washington: 448
- Earl L. Vandermeulen High School, Port Jefferson: 463
Joie Tyrrell is a Long Island native and covers education for Newsday, where she has worked since 1998.
