Humans love to rank things. Best schools, best restaurants, best movies, best dog(s) (I won this one); however, all rankings must be taken with a grain of salt. Not entirely as arbitrary as ranking our favorite Halloween candy, but school rankings are essentially inconsistent at best.
The most accessible measuring stick is applied to standardized test scores. Considering how well CCHS students perform on those exams, it would be in our best interest to highlight those results as the most critical factor, but truthfully they are only one measurement form.
Recently I received an inquiry from concerned parents regarding high school rankings published in US News. I provide details below outlining our rankings. Also, I would encourage readers to listen to Malcolm Gladwell's Podcast on this very topic. "Revisionist History: Lord of the Rankings"
Several national and local publications use various metrics to rank public high schools across the state and country. They measure multiple things ranging from student achievement to school resources.
I will refrain from delving too deep into the particulars, but there are countless ways to compare school systems, and most are subjective and difficult to quantify.
Helping guide and prepare students to excel, succeed, and grow academically, socially, and emotionally while providing a positive and supportive environment that allows young adolescents to remain curious, kind, empathetic, and hard-working, remains a worthy goal worth pursuing.
There is no doubt that CCHS is a high-achieving academic institution that excels in many areas, and it is a fantastic place to come to school and work every day. There is also little doubt we are surrounded by high-achieving high schools filled with many talented and bright kids. They give us hope.
There are 378 high schools in Massachusetts and tens of thousands nationwide.
Below, I provide information on a few national ranking systems and present data from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary education regarding standardized test scores, but one measure of a school system.
Nevertheless, you will find CCHS ranks near the top of the list when measured solely on academic performance.
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