25 Doing the Most With the Least


The Daily Beast ranked the best high schools in the country. Unsurprisingly, the top-performing schools are also—with some notable exceptions—ones in high-income areas. Research has proven that economic deprivation negatively impacts education, but we wanted to take note of the schools that were beating the odds and experiencing incredible academic success despite high poverty levels. We took our overall ranking and multiplied it by the school’s free and reduced lunch rates to determine the nation’s most change-making schools. You can see the full results here.

La Jolla, California
Overall Rank: 195
FINAL SCORE: 6.9929
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 96.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 65%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.60
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.30
SAT: 1632
ACT: 23
The Preuss School UCSD

Dallas, Texas
Overall Rank: 238
FINAL SCORE: 6.8164
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 21%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.84
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.24
SAT: 1395
ACT: 18
Uplift Peak Preparatory

Dallas, Texas
Overall Rank: 269
FINAL SCORE: 6.6699
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 97.8%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 49%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.99
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.22
SAT: 1332
ACT: 18
Uplift Williams Preparatory

Chicago, Illinois
Overall Rank: 326
FINAL SCORE: 6.4314
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 98.3%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 36%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.55
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.05
SAT:
ACT: 19.9
Noble Street College Prep

Dallas, Texas
Overall Rank: 94
FINAL SCORE: 7.4940
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 97%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 69%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.42
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.33
SAT: 1400
ACT: 21
Rosie Sorrells School of Education and Social Services

Bridgeport, Washington
Overall Rank: 443
FINAL SCORE: 5.9011
School Type: Regular
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 92.6%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 58%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.73
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.17
SAT: 1600
ACT: N/A
Bridgeport High School

Dallas, Texas
Overall Rank: 7
FINAL SCORE: 8.9816
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 98%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 100%
AP/IB Tests per student: 3.90
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.55
SAT: 1746
ACT: 25.9
School of Science/Engineering

Tulsa, Oklahoma
Overall Rank: 194
FINAL SCORE: 6.9978
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 30%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.15
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.40
SAT:
ACT: 20.5
Dove Science Academy Tulsa

Los Angeles, California
Overall Rank: 472
FINAL SCORE: 5.7362
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 97.8%
College Bound: 87%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 14%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.23
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.47
SAT: 1210
ACT: 18
Animo Jackie Robinson CHS

Van Nuys, California
Overall Rank: 263
FINAL SCORE: 6.6955
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 94.1%
College Bound: 99%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 53%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.10
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.68
SAT: 1570
ACT: 23.7
Van Nuys High Magnets

Newark, New Jersey
Overall Rank: 157
FINAL SCORE: 7.1327
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 99.4%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 30%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.49
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.47
SAT: 1576
ACT: 21.8
Science Park High School

Mercedes, Texas
Overall Rank: 131
FINAL SCORE: 7.2820
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 99.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 51%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.41
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.26
SAT: 1522
ACT: 22.6
South Texas High School for Health Professions

Hialeah, Florida
Overall Rank: 439
FINAL SCORE: 5.9180
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 97.4%
College Bound: 88%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 32%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.54
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.29
SAT: 1500
ACT: 18.3
City of Hialeah Educational Academy

Dallas, Texas
Overall Rank: 101
FINAL SCORE: 7.4545
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 72%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.06
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.21
SAT: 1470
ACT: 20
School of Business and Management

Elizabeth, New Jersey
Overall Rank: 257
FINAL SCORE: 6.7136
School Type: Regular
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 96.0%
College Bound: 91%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 100%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.63
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.25
SAT: 1440
ACT: N/A
Elizabeth High School

Dallas, Texas
Overall Rank: 346
FINAL SCORE: 6.3373
School Type: Regular
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 83%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 46%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.26
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.42
SAT: 1311
ACT: 19
Trinidad Garza Early College High School

Kansas City, Kansas
Overall Rank: 95
FINAL SCORE: 7.4887
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 99%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 44%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.75
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.60
SAT: N/A
ACT: 21.7
Sumner Academy of Arts and Science

Kansas City, Missouri
Overall Rank: 149
FINAL SCORE: 7.1654
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 98.5%
College Bound: 98%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 46%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.75
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.54
SAT: N/A
ACT: 22.4
Lincoln College Preparatory Academy

Arlington, Texas
Overall Rank: 91
FINAL SCORE: 7.5024
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 52%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.44
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.32
SAT: 1587
ACT: 20
Uplift Summit International Preparatory

La Puente, California
Overall Rank: 433
FINAL SCORE: 5.9627
School Type: Regular
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 98.4%
College Bound: 88%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 37%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.26
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.26
SAT: 1310
ACT: 17.7
La Puente High

Brooklyn, New York
Overall Rank: 372
FINAL SCORE: 6.2497
School Type: Regular
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 97.0%
College Bound: 98%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 29%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.58
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.21
SAT: 1460
ACT: N/A
The Daily Beast

Hialeah Gardens, Florida
Overall Rank: 424
FINAL SCORE: 6.0382
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 95.8%
College Bound: 89%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 61%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.19
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.28
SAT: 1387
ACT: 18.3
Mater Academy Charter High

San Benito, Texas
Overall Rank: 371
FINAL SCORE: 6.2564
School Type: Magnet
Enrollment: Open
Graduation Rate: 96.1%
College Bound: 93%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 60%
AP/IB Tests per student: 1.63
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.14
SAT: 1367
ACT: 19.6
South Texas Academy for Medical Professions

Houston, Texas
Overall Rank: 130
FINAL SCORE: 7.2887
School Type: Regular
Enrollment: Selective
Graduation Rate: 100.0%
College Bound: 100%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 15%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.40
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.64
SAT: 1573
ACT: 23.1
Alief Kerr High School

Los Angeles, California
Overall Rank: 593
FINAL SCORE: 4.9377
School Type: Charter
Enrollment: Lottery
Graduation Rate: 90.7%
College Bound: 99%
% Students Enrolled in AP/IB/AICE: 25%
AP/IB Tests per student: 0.36
AP/IB Pass Rate: 0.39
SAT: 1240
ACT: 16.8
Oscar De La Hoya Animo CHS
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