U.S. News & World Report has released its rankings of schools and districts for the 2023-2024 year.
Led by New Hope-Solebury at ninth in the state, local school districts notched nine slots in Pennsylvania’s top 100. The others were Central Bucks East (14); Council Rock North (36); Central Bucks South (46); Central Bucks West (48); Council Rock South (62); Souderton Area (79); Pennsbury (95); and Palisades (100).
New Hope-Solebury also ranked 432nd in the nation and 11th among Philadelphia PA Metro area high schools.
To say the community of New Hope-Solebury is beaming with excitement would be an understatement.
“The community definitely feels the accomplishment,” said Judith Finn, president of the New Hope-Solebury School Board. “We know how special the district is and to see it reflected in an objective way, on a national platform is deeply rewarding.”
In developing the rankings, U.S. News & World Report works with North Carolina-based RTI International, a global nonprofit school science research institute.
The ranking system uses a methodology based on six different assessments and metrics. These metrics are based on, “performance on state-required tests, graduations, and how well they prepare their students for college,” according to U.S. News.
The six steps are reflective of the schools’ ability to prepare their students. Each test has a metric percentage that weighs the overall score. These metrics are, college readiness; college curriculum breadth; state assessment proficiency; state assessment performance; underserved student performance; and graduation rate.
The ranking system is looking for students in the schools who excelled or exceeded in math, reading and science.
Finn said she believes that the tools and curricula the district has established “rolls out in an inclusive, equitable environment that gives each of our students the opportunity to achieve.”
The school has created a “road map” within its three-year comprehensive plan titled, “Portrait of a Graduate.”
According to Mrs. Finn, “this was developed by a team of administrators, students, teachers and community stakeholders to identify what our graduates should look like in order to succeed.”
“Working backwards from there, we developed a number of initiatives to fulfill those goals,” said Finn.
Last year, New Hope-Solebury ranked #10 in the state. Although the district hasn’t changed their curriculum, its high school moved a spot up in the 2023 ranking.
“We obviously continue to have a solid curriculum and an impressive cohort of administrators, teachers and staff; that hasn’t changed,” said Finn.
The success of the district isn’t just academic direction. Finn said New Hope-Solebury has created an environment where their students feel heard, safe and encouraged, which reflects in their ability to learn.
“This school board, our administration, teachers and staff have shown their commitment over and over again,” she said. “Our students know they have an educational environment where they can speak and be heard.”
According to U.S. News, the ranking system has been adjusted to account for the impact of school closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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