Experts Have Decided This is Now the #1 High School in Minnesota
Have you ever wondered which high school reigns supreme in the Land of 10,000 Lakes? Where will your little tater tot get the best secondary educational bang for your buck, so to speak, in Minnesota?
Experts have done the research, crunched the numbers, and given us a list of the best Minnesota High Schools for 2024. We're not talking best cafeteria or gym here, these rankings are solely scholastic-focused. Smart kids doing smart things, led by smart teachers.
How Are The Best High Schools in Minnesota Decided?
U.S. News says the schools included in Minnesota High School rankings "are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earned qualifying scores on an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions."
They used the weighted performance in six indicators of school quality:
- College Readiness 30%
- State Assessment Proficiency 20%
- State Assessment Performance 20%
- Underserved Student Performance 10%
- College Curriculum Breadth 10%
- Graduation Rate 10%
What Are the Top 10 Best High Schools in Minnesota?
Almost all Minnesota schools in the top 10 boast a graduation rate of 90% or higher, and more than half of the enrolled seniors earned a qualifying score on at least one AP or IB exam.
#10 - Lakes International Language Academy-Headwaters
Forest Lake, MN | Lakes International Language Academy
Graduation Rate: 92% | College Readiness: 70.7
#9 - Eagle Ridge Academy Charter School
Minnetonka, MN | Eagle Ridge Academy Charter School
Graduation Rate: 78% | College Readiness: 58.1
#8 - Mounds View Senior High School
Arden Hills, MN | Mounds View Public School District
Graduation Rate: 97% | College Readiness: 45.9
#7 - Wayzata High School
Plymouth, MN | Wayzata Public School District
Graduation Rate: 95% | College Readiness: 51.2
#6 - Edina Senior High School
Edina, MN | Edina Public School District
Graduation Rate: 92% | College Readiness: 59.6
#5 - Minnetonka Senior High School
Minnetonka, MN | Minnetonka Public School District
Graduation Rate: 97% | College Readiness: 67.0
#4 - Parnassus Prep School-Rhetoric
Maple Grove, MN | Parnassus Preparatory Charter School
Graduation Rate: 951% | College Readiness: 63.5
#3 - St. Croix Preparatory Academy Upper
Stillwater, MN | St. Croix Preparatory Academy
Graduation Rate: 95% | College Readiness: 71.1
#2 - Nova Classical Academy Upper School
Saint Paul, MN | Nova Classical Academy
Graduation Rate: 96% | College Readiness: 56.3
What is The #1 Best High School in Minnesota?
After doing their homework, U.S. News has named Math & Science Academy in Woodbury the #1 best high school in Minnesota.
The Math & Science Academy is a public charter school with a 98% graduation rate and a 69.3 college readiness score, earning an overall score of 99.32 out of 100 in the U.S. News high school rankings.
RELATED: The Hardest Colleges to Get Into in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa
MSA is ranked 120th in the nation and 29th among other charter high schools.
According to the MSA website, the school "has a tradition of offering intense math and science experiences with the added distinction of providing creative and challenging opportunities in arts and humanities."
What is the Difference Between a Public School and a Charter School in Minnesota?
Like regular public schools, charter schools are tuition-free public schools open to all students. Charter schools normally have smaller class sizes than traditional public schools and often have more specific program focuses such as language immersion, arts education, or math and science.
Contrary to popular belief, Minnesota law dictates that charter schools may not require entrance exams nor limit the admission of students based on intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, or athletic ability.
Charter schools must accept all students up to capacity. If more students register than there are slots available, a lottery must be held.
Students at charter schools are often held to high standards when it comes to academic work and their behavior.
Historical Minnesota School Built in 1927 is for Sale
Gallery Credit: Carly Ross
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