Asheville, Buncombe, and Western NC High School Rankings on US News & World Report List

The new 2024-25 high school rankings from U.S. News & World Report‘s “Best High Schools in North Carolina” report have been released, shedding light on where public high schools in Western North Carolina stand among all high schools in the state. Factors such as college readiness, state assessment proficiency, and underserved student performance were key in determining each high school’s placement on the list. Two Buncombe County Schools high schools, Community High School and Middle College, were not rated in the latest rankings.

How Were the Rankings Determined?

U.S. News & World Report gathered data from nearly 25,000 high schools across 50 states, including the District of Columbia. The rankings were determined using the “Best High Schools Methodology,” which focused on six key areas among almost 17,660 schools:

College Readiness, 30%: The proportions of 12th graders who took and earned a qualifying score on at least one AP or IB exam. Earning a qualifying score is valued three times more than just taking the exam.
State Assessment Proficiency, 20%: Aggregated scores on state assessments that students may be required to pass for graduation.
State Assessment Performance, 20%: How aggregated scores on state assessments compare with expectations based on the proportions of students who are Black, Hispanic, and from low-income households.
Underserved Student Performance, 10%: Scores on state assessments aggregated among students who are Black, Hispanic, and from low-income households, compared with the typical performance in the state for non-underserved students.
College Curriculum Breadth, 10%: The proportions of 12th graders who took and earned qualifying scores on AP and IB exams in multiple areas.
Graduation Rate, 10%: The proportion of entering ninth graders who graduated four academic years later.

Where Did Asheville City Schools High Schools Rank?

In the latest U.S. News & World Report NC list, Asheville City Schools high schools were ranked as follows:

No. 47 – School of Inquiry and Life Sciences
No. 92 – Asheville High School

Where Did Buncombe County Schools Rank?

The rankings for Buncombe County Schools on the U.S. News & World Report NC list are as follows:

No. 23 – Nesbitt Discovery Academy
No. 103 – Roberson High School
No. 125 – Reynolds High School
No. 137 – North Buncombe High School
No. 167 – Owen High School
No. 197 – Enka High School
No. 258 – Buncombe County Early College
No. 421 – Buncombe County Schools Virtual Academy
No. 451-576 – Erwin High School

Other WNC Schools’ Rankings on US News & World Report NC List

Additionally, other high schools in Western North Carolina were ranked on the U.S. News & World Report NC list, with notable positions including:

No. 69 – Watauga High School
No. 82 – Hendersonville High School
No. 120 – Brevard High School
No. 135 – Watauga Innovation Academy
No. 144 – Henderson County Early College

And many more high schools across Western North Carolina making the list for their academic achievements and performance.

Top Rated NC High Schools on US News & World Report

Some of the top-rated high schools in North Carolina according to U.S. News & World Report include:

The Early College at Guilford, Greensboro
Greensboro STEM Early College at N.C. A&T, Greensboro
Onslow Early College, Jacksonville
Raleigh Charter High School
Woods Charter, Chapel Hill

These schools have demonstrated exceptional performance in various key areas that contribute to their high rankings.

About the Author

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.