Photo from Homewood High School Facebook page
Homewood High School in Homewood, Alabama
U.S. News and World Report this month ranked Homewood High School as the second best public high school in the state, behind only New Century Technology High School in Huntsville.
Considering that New Century Technology High School has only 340 students and is a magnet school that specializes in computer science, engineering and biomedical science, “we are actually the best traditional high school in the state,” Homewood schools Superintendent Justin Hefner said.
Homewood High also ranked No. 212 in the nation, putting it in the top 1.2% of high schools nationally.
Hefner said he is really proud of that ranking, especially considering the diversity of Homewood’s student population.
U.S. News and World Report ranked high schools based on how well they prepare students for college, participation and performance on Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests, state assessment proficiency and performance, graduation rates, and performance of Black, Hispanic and low-income students.
Seventy-one percent of Homewood High’s students participated in Advanced Placement courses, and 63% passed at least one AP exam. Sixty-eight percent of Homewood High students were deemed proficient in science, while 67% were deemed proficient in math and 62% were deemed proficient in reading.
Twenty-eight percent of Homewood High’s students are considered economically disadvantaged, according to U.S. News and World Report.
Here is the complete top 10 high schools in Alabama, according to the news site:
- New Century Technology High School, Huntsville
- Homewood High School
- Mountain Brook High School
- Vestavia Hills High School
- Hewitt-Trussville High School
- Fairhope High School
- Spain Park High School, Hoover
- Oak Mountain High School, Shelby County
- James Clemens High School, Madison
- Arab High School
See the complete high school rankings by U.S. News and World Report here.
BRAINS AND BRAWN
Hefner also noted that rivals.com ranked Homewood High as the second best “brains and brawn” high school in the nation, meaning it is a powerhouse in terms of both academic and athletic performance.
Rivals.com noted that the Homewood Patriots football team has won six state championships in 1974, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2005.
Mountain Brook High School was third nationally, and Vestavia Hills High School ranked ninth nationally. Here is the complete top 10:
- Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Alexandria, Virginia
- Homewood High School
- Mountain Brook High School
- Zionsville High School, Zionsville, Indiana
- Highland Park High School, Dallas
- Neuqua Valley High School, Neuqua Valley, Illinois
- New Trier High School, Winnetka, Illinois
- Carmel High School, Carmel, Indiana
- Vestavia Hills High School
- Torrey Pines High School, Encinitas, California
