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Columbia Heights Selected to U.S. News and World Report List of Best High Schools

CHHS students U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) has selected Columbia Heights High School (CHHS) to its 2017 Best High Schools rankings. The school, awarded a Silver Medal  (high-performing schools based on lower college readiness), was one of 6,041 public high schools nationwide to be selected. Only 10.3 percent of all of the schools selected were awarded a Silver Medal.

Columbia Heights High School was ranked 55th in Minnesota. Of the 769 high schools in Minnesota, 158 were selected by USNWR as Gold, Silver (148) or Bronze (103) medal schools.

For its 2017 rankings, USNWR ranks schools based on their performance on state-required tests and how well they prepare students for college. The publication has a four-step process in its selection of schools to the list:

  1. Students perform better than expected in their state. The publication reviews reading and math results on each state's proficiency test (MCA for Minnesota) and then factors in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students. 

  2. Disadvantaged students perform better than state average: The publication compares each school's math and reading proficiency rates for disadvantaged students with the statewide results for these student groups and then selected schools that were performing better than their state averages.

  3. Student graduation rates meet or exceeds a national standard: The publication only includes schools with graduation rates above 75 percent. Columbia Heights High School's graduation rate was 83 percent.

  4. Students are prepared for college-level coursework: The publication calculates a College Readiness Index, which is based on the school's AP* participation rate and how well the students did on those tests. Columbia Heights High School College Readiness Index was 21.4

Columbia Heights Public Schools was selected as the 2016 Advanced Placement® (AP) Small District of the Year. The high school was also selected by the College Board to the 2016 AP Honor Roll (read more).

* Advanced Placement is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board, which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students.