Things got kind of busy as we approached the end of the 2011-12 academic year. Coming down the homestretch, there was one bit of academic news I really wanted to celebrate.
Farragut High School was ranked number five in the state of Tennessee – 705nationally – in U.S. News and World Report’s list of Best High Schools. The list ranked high schools based on a number of criteria.
Farragut was the highest ranked East Tennessee high school (for that matter…the highest ranked NON-Nashville-area high school). Oak Ridge High School was ranked number six in the state (#709nationally) and Bearden High School was ranked number 11in the state (#1303 nationally).
Another quality high school I have mentioned recently – Collierville – made the rankings as well (number nine in state, #1071 nationally).
The schools were ranked based on a number of academic indicators – College Readiness Index, English Proficiency, Algebra Proficiency, and Student/Teacher Ratio.
Farragut’s College Readiness Index of 38.7 was listed as being above the state average. To achieve this score, US News measured the fact that 46 per cent of FHS students take the Advanced Placement (AP) tests and 36 per cent of all FHS students (80 per cent who take the AP tests) pass them.
A second measurement was the English Proficiency of FHS students. Eighty-nine percent of all FHS students are judged to be proficient. Of those, 48 per cent are proficient while 41 per cent are advanced. Farragut’s Algebra Proficiency rate (a third category) is only slightly lower. Seventy-one per cent of FHS students are proficient in Algebra (34 per cent proficient; 37 per cent advanced).
The final metric in the formula is Student/Teacher ratio. Farragut’s 18:1 ratio (1,807 students, 103 teachers) is considered to be ‘near’ the state average.
I congratulate the FHS faculty and administration for this wonderful achievement. As parents, we feel blessed that both of our teenagers have been fortunate enough to enjoy the riches of a Farragut education. Holly was well-prepared for college and we feel confident that Paul will be the same.
We feel lucky to live in such a community where there is tremendous grassroots support for high quality education. We feel blessed that our children have attended a high school with excellent teachers and instruction.
JG
(Source: usnews.com)
Originally posted 5/25/2012
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