U.S. News Ranks Lincoln-Way East High Among Top 50 Illinois Schools

Lincoln-Way East High School ranks among the top high schools in America, according to a ranking of public schools released Tuesday by U.S. News & World Report magazine.

LW East — ranked 47th in Illinois and 1,264th in the United States — was the only south suburban high school to place in the magazine's annual report. The rankings rely on a mix of criteria, including teacher-student ratio, test scores and college readiness.

U.S. News said it collected data on more than 21,000 public high schools from 49 states and the District of Columbia, excluding Nebraska, which didn't report enough data. It joined forces with the American Institutes for Research, a D.C.-based organization, to evaluate schools on overall student performance on state-mandated assessments, as well as how effectively schools educated their black, Hispanic and economically-disadvantaged students.

Performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams was then used to determine the degree to which schools prepare students for college-level work. School data is for the 2010-2011 school year. 

"We’re pleased with the announcement from U.S. News' Top High Schools that Lincoln-Way East High School has been included on their list of high schools nationwide," said Supt. Lawrence A. Wyllie, who's marking his final year as superintendent this school year. "We do everything in our power to work to improve all Lincoln-Way students’ academic achievement in all four of the high schools.

"This accomplishment is a credit to the entire district. It is a feather in the cap of our District 210 teachers, students, staff, administration, parents, and community. Everyone works hard to help our students."

The top 10 Illinois schools in the national rankings include:

1. Northside College Preparatory High School, Chicago, 33rd
2. Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago, 45th
3. Jones College Prep, Chicago, 85th
4. Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, Chicago, 126th
5. Deerfield High School, Deerfield, 181st
6. Adlai E. Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire, 185th
7. Highland Park High School, Highland Park, 234th
8. Hinsdale Central High School, Hinsdale, 289th
9. Mount Prospect High School, Mount Prospect, 295th
10. John Hersey High School, Arlington Heights, 298th

In the national rankings, 500 schools earned gold medals, 1,790 were awarded silver — including Lincoln-Way East — and 2,515 took home bronze.

If you'd like to know more about the rankings, check out this FAQ on the U.S. News website.

Other Chicago-area schools with top rankings include: