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The United States is a multicultural and flourishing country, boasting one of the best educational systems in the world, with extraordinary programs and prestigious international schools recognized throughout the world for their excellence.

Enrolling your child in an international school in the US will give you the unrivaled opportunity to lay the foundation for a successful career.

The United States is rightly described as a melting pot of different cultures in which many people of diverse nations and backgrounds coexist. 

This is a great opportunity for foreign students who dream of meeting new friends and experiencing new cultures and lifestyle across the globe.

One of the most important sectors in the United States is Education. It is an essential sector because not only it employs a large, but also because it forges the students who will largely defines the economic future of the country. Education is one of the drivers of the future of a country, hence the importance of obtaining the best possible.

The United States is a country in which the quality of education stands out; considered one of the best in the world. So many people migrate to this country keeping in mind to ensure a better education for their children.

The institutes are organized in school districts located in the different states of the country. The board that is chosen by the community governs these Districts.

Generally, they have a director and a vice director, who specialize in a certain area within the school (for example, the curriculum, extracurricular activities, etc.).

There are multiple number of school districts in the United States, with diverse teaching options and many opportunities for students, which is why it is essential to know which cities have the best schools.

There are many factors that can be considered when determining which institutions are the best schools in a country. Take for example, educational factors such as the methodology they teach, levels of access of their students to recognized universities, if the institution registers few injured or less risk of disease, if it has good school health centers or if it is safe colleges.

Other factors that can be reviewed are the athletic program, clubs, teacher’s curricular profile, facilities, extracurricular activities, cultural and ethnic diversity, etc.

A key factor in scoring a school district’s position is the overall performance of the student body on math and reading tests. In the U.S., each state conducts standardized tests to measure student mastery in different subjects; however, the ACT (American College Testing) and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) tests are recognized to evaluate the competencies in mathematics and reading.

The ACT and the SAT are the exams most required by American universities for students to enter, as they evaluate their preparation for their university education.

The SAT is an entrance exam that measures skills and knowledge in two areas: mathematics, reading, and writing. This test is administered to students from the eighth grade to the twelfth grade. The PSAT 8/9 is administered in grades eight and nine; PSAT 10 is administered during the tenth grade; and the SAT is taken during the junior or senior year.

In the SAT tests, the total scores range from 400 to 1600 points and are an indicator of the skills acquired in these areas. School districts often pay attention to student performance on these tests to establish whether learning is being achieved in core subjects (such as English, reading, and math), as well as to see if schools are meeting. With its objectives, especially that of educating.

These tests are also considered by the various bodies that rate and publish the annual rankings of the best public and private schools, as one of the factors that help determine such rating.

Let’s see a little about what the American educational system is like next.

The Educational System in the United States

Education is free and compulsory until high school (Junior High School), ranging from 6 years to 16 years, with the option of always being able to opt for private education, if the necessary financial resources are available, since this Private education is often expensive.

Each of the states or school districts regulates secondary education, which, as we noted above, is the grouping of a number of schools by zones in the states. These districts are in charge, among others, of collecting taxes that are destined to the construction of schools and determine the content of the study plans.

The school year lasts about 10 months, starting in September and ending in June. State standards are implemented locally.

The American Educational System is structured as follows:

• Preschool: which has two or three levels, depending on the school district, ranging from 3 years to 6 years. The first year of preschool is called pre-kindergarten, the second year is kindergarten or preschool, and it is optional to enroll children in these levels.
• Primary: it goes from first to sixth grade.
• Junior High: lasts two years and goes from seventh to eighth grade. Grades from ninth to twelfth are identified as follows:
  • 9th. Grade: Freshman year, in which students enter from the ages of 14 and 15.
  • The 10th. Degree is called sophomore year and its students begin between the ages of 15 and 16;
  • The 11th. Junior Year Grade, here they start between 16 and 17 years old and
  • 12th. Grade Senior Year where they start between 17 and 18 years old.
• High School: It is attended from the ninth grade to the twelfth grade, depending on the educational regime.
• Higher education.

Best High Schools in America

There is an independent body in the United States that is considered an authority in analysis and rankings in education, we are referring to US News & World Report, who published the list of the Best Public Secondary Schools, in its latest edition (2021).

This ranking ranks schools based on their performance on state-required tests, college readiness, breadth of college curriculum, proficiency, performance in reading and math, and the graduation rate of cohorts entering ninth grade.

Among the best schools for this organization are:

1.         Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology – Virginia;

2.         Academic Magnet High School – South Carolina;

3.         Merrol Hyde Magnet School – Tennessee;

4.         School for Advanced Studies (SAS) – Florida;

5.         Townsend Harris High School – New York City;

6.         The School for the Talented and Gifted (TAG) – Texas;

7.         BASIS Chandler – Arizona;

8.         Haas Hall Academy Bentonville – Arkansas;

9.         Payton College Preparatory High School – Illinois;

10.       Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School – Texas.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Public School ranks first within Virginia and is focused on providing a comprehensive curriculum for students, with an emphasis on science, math, and technology.

Academic Magnet High School, meanwhile, ranks first in South Carolina and is one of 16 high schools in the Charleston County School District, offering a number of sports disciplines such as wrestling, golf, basketball, American football. , volleyball, swimming, sailing, track and field, tennis, baseball and more.

Merrol Hyde Magnet School is an academic school with a foreign language emphasis located in Sumner County, Hendersonville, Tennessee. Hendersonville is a suburb of Nashville, located on Old Hickory Lake, with a population of approximately 60,000.

Best High Schools in Los Angeles

• Harvard-Westlake School
• Flintridge Preparatory School
• Polytechnic School
• Marlborough School
• Westridge School

Best High Schools in Chicago

The best schools according to this ranking are:

• Public High Schools:
  • Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
  • Walter Payton College Prep
  • Northside College Preparatory High School
  • Adlai E. Stevenson High School, and
  • Whitney M. Young Magnet High School.
• Private High Schools
  • University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
  • Lake Forest Academy, and
  • North Shore Country Day School

Best High Schools in Boston

In Boston, the private schools that stand out are:

• Phillips Academy
• Noble and Greenough School
• Middlesex School
• Winsor School
• Groton School.

Best High Schools in Atlanta

In Atlanta, the best private schools are:

• The Westminster School Gwinnett
• Pace Academy
• The Paideia School
• Atlanta International School
• Woodward Academy

Among the public schools, we have:

• School of Mathematics, Science and Technology.
• Northview High School
• Walton High School
• Alpharetta High School
• Lambert High School.

Best High Schools in Florida

In Florida, the most prominent private schools are:

• Ransom Everglades School
• Pine Crest School – Fort Lauderdale
• American Heritage School – Plantation Campus
• Carrolton School of the Sacred Heart
• American Heritage School – Boca Delray Campus

In the public sector, we have:

• Pine View School
• AD Henderson University School
• FAU High School
• School for Advanced Studies – South
• Suncoast Community High School
• Stanton College Preparatory

In summary, the Niche ranking places the following as the best private schools:

1. Phillips Exeter Academy (New Hampshire);
2. St. Mark’s School of Texas;
3. Phillips Academy (Massachusetts);
4. The College Preparatory School (California);
5. Trinity School (New York);
6. Harvard-Westlake School (California);
7. Stanford Online High School (California);
8. Choate Rosemary Hall (Connecticut);
9. Castilleja School (California);
10. The Lawrenceville School (New Jersey).

And in the public are the following:

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology;
2. Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy;
3. Walter Payton College Prep;
4. Stuyvesant High School;
5. Bergen County Academies;
6. The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science;
7. High Technology High School;
8. Maggie Walker Governor’s School;
9. BASIS Scottsdale;
10. Massachusetts Academy of Math & Science.

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology. It is located in Alexandria, Virginia. It has 1,789 students, and state test scores show 99% of its students are proficient in math and reading. Learn more about Thomas Jefferson High School.
2.  Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy – Located in Aurora, Illinois, it is a magnet for students looking to train in the technology sector. It has 647 students in high school grades; 99% graduate and enter universities such as University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. Learn more about Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy here
3. Walter Payton College Prep – It is the best public high school in Chicago, Illinois. It has 977 students, of which 95% are proficient in math and 97% in reading. There are arts and sports clubs for further education. Learn more about Walter Payton College Prep here.
4. Stuyvesant High School. It is the best in New York, New York, with 3,368 students enrolled. According to state tests, 99% of its students score well in math and reading. It has research, sports and volunteer clubs. Learn more about Stuyvesant High School at their official website. 
5. Bergen County Academic. Located in Hackensack, New Jersey. The school boasts of excellent scores in academics, extracurricular activities, and college readiness. 99% of the students are proficient in math and 94% are proficient in reading. Go to their page for more info.
6. The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. It is in Columbus, Mississippi, and stands out because 100% the proficiency of its students in Maths and reading. However, some students note that because teachers are scientifically trained, it is sometimes difficult to keep up with them.  Learn more about the institution here.
7. High Technology High School. Its in Lincroft, New Jersey. It has 291 students; 95% proficient in math and 99% in reading.  Their training is aimed at engineering and some parents consider that they should include more sports and artistic activities. Learn more about the school on their official website.

In summary, it can be said that there are many options when choosing a good school for your children, which will lead to evaluate in each case, the series of factors that can influence the selection of one school or another, which ultimately It will depend on what is valued as important for who makes the selection of the school.