REPORT FROM THE DOE – Six Hawaii public schools have been recognized in The Washington Post’s “2012 High School Challenge Index,” which highlights the nation’s top nine percent of schools for effectively preparing students for college success.
The schools include Kalaheo High, Campbell High, Kalani High, and Mililani High on Oahu, and Maui High and King Kekaulike High on Maui.
“Congratulations to our high schools for being recognized by the Washington Post,” said Superintendent Kathryn Matayoshi. “It is truly an honor and a testament to the schools’ dedication and commitment to ensuring our graduates are ready for success in college.”
The Post’s Jay Matthews, who has compiled the Challenge Index for Washington-area schools since 1998, expanded the rankings to high schools across the country in 2011. The formula divides the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests given by a school by the number of graduating seniors. The newspaper states “the rating can reveal the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing average students for college.
“Rankings note the percentage of a school’s students whose family incomes are low enough to qualify for federally subsidized lunches and who also apply for that program. The portion of subsidized-lunch applicants is a rough indicator of a school’s poverty level.
“They also note the Equity and Excellence rate, the percentage of all seniors who have had at least one score on an AP, IB or Cambridge test that would qualify them for college credit.”
For more information and a list of some 2,000 schools recognized in the 2012 Challenge Index, visit https://apps.washingtonpost.com/local/highschoolchallenge/