Franklin Unranked in List of Nation's Best High Schools

was ineligible to be ranked in U.S. News' recently released list of the nation's best high schools, due to student performance on standardized math and English tests in the 2009-2010 school year.

Schools were considered eligible for ranking by U.S. news if students of all demographics were deemed to be succeeding at a higher level than than their peers state-wide. The report used Academic Performance Index (API) as well as its own formula that gauged "college readiness" to determine student success.

Franklin achieved an API of 661 during the 2009/2010 school year--11 points lower than the median API of schools deemed demographically similar by the DOE. Franklin's API grew to 664 in the 2010/2011 school year, about 31 points lower than similar schools.

API, which is based on a combination of student performance on the California High School Exit Examination and standardized testing and reporting results, summarizes a school's standardized test scores into a single number, which ranges from 200 to 1000.

The report also calculated the college-readiness of the students at high schools across the nation based on their scores on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.

Franklin earned an 18.9 on college readiness, compared to 35.5 earned at Eagle Rock High School.

Franklin is currently in the middle of preparing a new academic plan through LAUSD's Public School Choice initiative, which requires struggling schools to realign staff and teaching methods in an effort to improve low test scores.

Los Angeles International Charter High School was also unraked in the report. It earned an API score of 664 in 2009/2010--there was not enough data available to calculate student college readiness.

The top-ranked school in the district, according to U.S. News, is the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies, which posts a 70.8 college readiness rating and an API of 884, which also means that it has reached its state-mandated goal.

Traveling farther east, Camino Nuevo High School on Temple Street was ranked 87th in the state of California and 459th nationally. It had a "college readiness" rating of 47.1, which places it above the average rating for the state, but its 790 API does not meet the state goal.

Downtown Magnets High School checked in with a ranking of 117th in the state and a college readiness rating of 42.3. Its API of 755 places it short of the state goal.

Eagle Rock High School is ranked 157th in the state and 825th nationally, with a college readiness rating of 35.5, above the state average.

Curious about how the schools were ranked? Take a look at the methodology.