These California schools named best in nation by U.S. News & World Report

Desmond Milligan · August 20

A top-tier Southern California high school has just claimed the No. 1 spot in California, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of best high schools in the nation..

The highly selective Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos also came in at No. 16 nationwide, scoring 99.91/100, with editors noting the variety of honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses it offers, including computer science, physics, and foreign language.

The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on more than 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to a media release.

Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.

U.S. News named BASIS Tucson North in Arizona the best high school and Charter School in the country.

"Students and families need data to help them make one of the most important decisions of their academic journey." LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News, said. Our Best High Schools rankings provide the insights to help them identify schools that will prepare students for college success."

California high schools lead the nation with most high schools ranked

More than any other state, California has the most high schools (1,646) ranked, landing at No. 7 for the most schools in the national top tier.

The Golden State has 7% or 115 high schools in the nation's top 5%. Another 14.9% or 245 high schools are in the top 10% and over a third (35.2%) or 580 schools are in the top 25%.

Two more high schools in the L.A. Metro area broke into the nation's Top 20

Two other high schools in the Los Angeles metro area ranked in the top 20 in the U.S. News National Rankings.

The No. 2 school in the state, Oxford Academy in Cypress, landed at No. 19 nationwide, scoring 99.89/100.

The school runs an "intensive honors curriculum that requires students to take a minimum of four AP courses to graduate," the editors note, and offers 9th and 10th-grade students an opportunity to supplement their core curriculum with career training.

Ranked No. 3 in California and No. 20 in the nation, Science Academy Stem Magnet in North Hollywood scored 99.89/100, with editors noting students' opportunity to take AP courses and exams while touting the school's 100% AP participation rate.

Two California metropolitan areas with highest proportion of schools in the top 25%

U.S. News highlighted three metropolitan areas with the highest proportions of schools ranked in the top 25% nationally.

The Silicon Valley communities of San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara have 59% of schools in the nation's top 25%, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with 51%.

The Wisconsin metro area of Milwaukee-Waukesha rounded out the top three.