Two of Franklin County’s regional high schools received “silver medal” rankings, placing them among the nation’s top 9 percent of “Best High Schools,” according to US News and World Report.
The magazine’s ranking process began with 28,561 high schools, before it was winnowed down to 19,908. The highest-performing 6,218 high schools nationwide were then ranked. About 2.5 percent were given gold medal rankings, 11 percent (including Pioneer and Mohawk) received silver ranking, and about 18 percent received bronze. The roughly two-thirds remaining did not receive a “medal award.” Altogether, 89 out of 353 Massachusetts high schools received a gold, silver or bronze medal.
The criteria was based on whether each school’s students were performing better than statistically expected for students in that state (using the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, or MCAS test results in Massachusetts).
Pioneer Valley Regional High School was ranked as 69th in Massachusetts, while the Mohawk Trail Regional High School was 74th in the state. Both schools ranked within the top 21 percent of all Massachusetts public schools that were evaluated for this report.
According to US News, about 32 percent of Pioneer Valley Regional School students take Advance Placement courses, and the graduation rate is 91 percent. Based on MCAS scores, 97 percent of students ranked proficient in English and 93 percent are proficident in math.
“Hallelujah,” exclaimed Pioneer school board Chairwoman Pat Shearer, when told of the news. “That has happened to us maybe 10 years ago. I’ve saved the magazine. That is so great. We’ve got a wonderful group of teachers and administrators that are top-notch. That really helps make the kids what they are. It starts from kindergarten on, not just the high school,” Shearer added. “We’ve had graduates go on to military academies, Harvard and Yale, other so-called ‘superschools.’”
US News reported that Mohawk’s graduation rate is 92 percent, and that 26 percent are enrolled in advanced placement courses. The students’ English proficiency is 92 percent and math proficiency is 87 percent, based on state MCAS results.
“I am delighted that Mohawk High School has been awarded a silver medal by U.S. News & World Report in their 2016 ranking of the best high schools in the United States,” said Mohawk Superintendent Michael Buoniconti. He said the ranking puts Mohawk in the top 21 percent of all high schools in the state.
“I am very proud of our students, educators and families who have all contributed significantly to this noteworthy achievement,” Buoniconti said.
Both Franklin County high schools have about 500 students, but the student-teacher ratio for Pioneeer was 12:1 and the Mohawk ratio was 16:1. Also, about one-third of Mohawk students were deemed “economically disadvantaged,” as were about one-fourth of the Pioneer students. Both schools ranked above the state average in terms of academic proficiency.
The Ralph C. Mahar High School in Orange received a bronze medal in this “best schools” ranking, placing above the state average for math and English proficiency. (The numerical rankings stopped at 75.)
Mahar’s graduation rate is 81 percent; its student proficiency in English is 96 percent and, in math, it’s 83 percent.