Top 25 Transformative High Schools

Our list of the top high schools in America highlights places that best prepare students for postsecondary education. However, because there is a correlation between wealth and graduation, and between wealth and achievement, schools in high-income areas tend to rank higher. In order to recognize schools that are doing well despite challenges with budgets, Newsweek and The Daily Beast re-ranked all of our top schools based on the number of students that fall below federal poverty lines. The result: the most transformative secondary institutions across the country.

The methodology for this list is simple: we multiplied each top school’s Newsweek score by the percentage of students who are eligible for free- or reduced-price lunches, a leading indicator of socioeconomic status. The overall ranking for each school is based on the graduation rate, college-bound rate of grads, AP participation, and test scores.

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La Jolla, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 154

Graduation Rate: 92%

College-bound Grad Rate: 99%

AP/IB Tests per Student: 1.9

Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 100%

The Preuss School

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Oakland, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 11
Graduation Rate: 100%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 2.6
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 81%

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Dallas, Texas

Overall Newsweek Rank: 732
Graduation Rate: 100%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 1.1
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 96%

Brandon Thibodeaux & Uplift Education

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Los Angeles, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 802
Graduation Rate: 100%
College-bound Grad Rate: 99%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.6
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 98%

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Dallas, Texas

Overall Newsweek Rank: 732
Graduation Rate: 100%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 1.1
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 96%

Brandon Thibodeaux & Uplift Education

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Los Angeles, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 902
Graduation Rate: 97%
College-bound Grad Rate: 98%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.6
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 97%

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Homestead, Florida

Overall Newsweek Rank: 1232
Graduation Rate: 98%
College-bound Grad Rate: 98%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.4
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 100%

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Hartford, Connecticut

Overall Newsweek Rank: 1238
Graduation Rate: 91%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.1
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 100%

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Bridgeport, Washington

Overall Newsweek Rank: 1305
Graduation Rate: 93%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.6
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 100%

Brad Skiff

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Los Angeles, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 1328
Graduation Rate: 98%
College-bound Grad Rate: 95%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.4
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 98%

Mark Savage

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Los Angeles, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 1348
Graduation Rate: 91%
College-bound Grad Rate: 99%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.4
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 98%

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Van Nuys, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 172
Graduation Rate: 99%
College-bound Grad ate: 98%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 1.1
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 81%

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Inglewood, California

Overall Newsweek Rank: 1159
Graduation Rate: 92%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.3
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 95%

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Arlington, Texas

Overall Newsweek Rank: 51
Graduation Rate: 100%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 2.0
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 75%

Brandon Thibodeaux & Uplift Education

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Chicago, Illinois
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1013
Graduation Rate: 94%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.7
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 91%

Paul Elledge

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Alamo, Texas
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1597
Graduation Rate: 95%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.2
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 100%

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Houston, Texas
Overall Newsweek Rank: 370
Graduation Rate: 92%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.8
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 82%

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Los Angeles, California
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1561
Graduation Rate: 86%
College-bound Grad Rate: 100%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.2
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 99%

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San Gabriel, California
Overall Newsweek Rank: 925
Graduation Rate: 94%
College-bound Grad Rate: 96%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.5
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 89%

Natalie Ma

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Edinburg, Texas
Overall Newsweek Rank: 592
Graduation Rate: 97%
College-bound Grad Rate: 98%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 1.2
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 85%

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Los Angeles, California
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1485
Graduation Rate: 97%
College-bound Grad Rate: 94%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.1
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 97%

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Chicago, Illinois
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1390
Graduation Rate: 93%
College-bound Grad Rate: 90%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.4
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 95%

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Los Angeles, California
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1102
Graduation Rate: 93%
College-bound Grad Rate: 98%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.8
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 90%

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Los Angeles, California
Overall Newsweek Rank: 897
Graduation Rate: 94%
College-bound Grad Rate: 97%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.5
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 87%

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Hidalgo, Texas
Overall Newsweek Rank: 1700
Graduation Rate: 96%
College-bound Grad Rate: 74%
AP/IB Tests per Student: 0.5
Students Receiving Subsidized Lunch: 100%

Top 25 Transformative High Schools

We re-ranked all our top schools based on the number of students who fall below federal poverty lines. The result: the most transformative secondary institutions across the country.

Lauren Streib