Weston High School was ranked the 13th best high school in Connecticut and Joel Barlow High School was ranked 16th by U.S. News & World Report, which recently released its 2018 Best High Schools rankings.
The following academic indicators are used to determine schools’ rankings:
- Student/teacher ratio.
- Reading proficiency.
- Mathematics proficiency.
- College readiness index.
According to the report, Weston High School has 840 students, 64 full-time teachers, and a minority enrollment of 13%, and 3% of its students are economically disadvantaged. Weston High School has a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.
Joel Barlow High School, which covers Redding and Easton, has 1,008 students, 71 full-time teachers, and a minority enrollment of 13%, and 4% of its students are economically disadvantaged. Joel Barlow High School has a 14-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio.
U.S. News calculated the following averages based on student performance on state exit exams and internationally available exams on college-level course work, such as AP exams:
- Percent of students proficient in reading: Weston 84%, Barlow 91%.
- Percent of students proficient in math: Weston 71%, Barlow 52%.
- College readiness index: Weston 59.7, Barlow 54.9.
College readiness is based on the percentage of 12th graders who were tested on and passed AP exams. The maximum college readiness index value is 100.
According to the report, 63% of Weston 12th graders took AP tests and 94% of them passed; 59% of Barlow 12th graders took AP tests and 91% of them passed.
Other Fairfield County high schools to make Connecticut’s top 20 were:
- Ridgefield High School — No. 5.
- Greenwich High School — No. 7.
- Staples High School — No. 8.
- Darien High School — No. 9.
- Wilton High School — No. 10.
- New Canaan High School — No. 15.
- Fairfield Ludlowe High School — No. 17.
- Newtown High School — No. 18.
The No. 1 best school in Connecticut this year was the Amistad Academy in New Haven.
Weston High School was ranked the 458th best high school in the nation. Joel Barlow High School was ranked the 592nd best high school in the nation.
Weston was one of 15 Connecticut high schools to receive a gold medal from U.S. News & World Report. Joel Barlow High School was one of 26 schools to receive a silver medal. Fifteen schools received bronze medals.