U.S. News and World Report Ranks Simsbury High 16th in Connecticut

The annual ranking of public high schools was announced Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report, and Simsbury High School dropped from it's 9th place position in 2012 to 16th in the state this year. It was also nationally ranked at No. 547.

More than 21,000 public high schools throughout the country were reviewed. Criteria include student-teacher ratio, a college readiness index (determined by percentage of students taking and passing Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate exams), and students' proficiency on standardized tests.

A total of 53 percent of Simsbury students took one or more Advanced Placement (AP) exams and students were rated 43.9 in the College Readiness category, according to the data used to determine the 2013 rankings.

Darien High School earned the spot as the state's top-ranking public high school in the survey. The top-ranked school nationally was School for the Talented and Gifted in Dallas, TX.

The methodology used in the rankings is a multi-step process, where information from nearly 22,000 public high schools throughout the country is reviewed to determine national and statewide rankings. The top 500 schools nationwide earn gold medal status.

Nearby schools districts that were also included in this year's top Connecticut rankings include: Farmington High School (#5), Granby Memorial High School (#13), Avon High School (#14), and the two West Hartford high schools (Conard #2 and Hall #8).