U.S. News & World Report has published the rankings of the “2022 Best Public High Schools.” This is the eighth straight year McAllen ISD has had its high schools recognized by either U.S. News & World Report or The Washington Post. The McAllen ISD schools are:
- Achieve Early College High School
- McAllen Memorial High School
- James “Nikki” Rowe High
- McAllen High School
- Lamar Academy
Achieve Early College High, a two-time national Blue Ribbon Award winner including 2021, is ranked in the top 50 (No. 48) of 1,992 high schools in Texas. That places them in the top 2.5 percent in the state. In the nation, they come in at No. 278.
“This reflects a true team effort,” McAllen ISD Superintendent Dr. J.A. Gonzalez said. “It is great to see the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers and staff be recognized on a national stage. I want to thank all our parents for making McAllen ISD their district of choice and our Board of Trustees for their support and leadership. It speaks to the resilience of our community that, despite the challenges presented by a global pandemic, all five schools continued to grind and push on for the sake of our children.”
The top-ranked schools have a high rate of students who scored above expectations in math and reading state assessments, passed an array of college-level exams, and graduated in four years.
The U.S. News High School Rankings include data on nearly 24,000 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to traditional high schools, the rankings encompass charter; magnet plus STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) focused schools.
Nearly 17,900 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.
The six factors are:
- College Readiness (30%)
- College Curriculum Breadth (10%)
- Math & Reading Proficiency (20%)
- Math & Reading Performance (20%)
- Underserved Student Performance (10%)
- Graduation Rate (10%)
McAllen ISD is a district of choice, offering STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) in Pre-K-12, International Baccalaureate in grades 1-12, Advanced Placement courses, Career Technical Education (CTE) in 13 career clusters where students earn professional licenses or certifications plus four dual enrollment academies. McAllen ISD also offers students the chance to earn any of five endorsements (career paths) recognized in Texas.
McAllen High, McAllen Memorial and McAllen Rowe high schools are traditional schools offering multiple educational paths and electives including opportunities in fine arts, athletics, CTE and more.
Achieve Early College High has earned many accolades since it first opened in 2008. The school earned its second national Blue Ribbon Award in 2021 after earning its first Blue Ribbon in 2015. The campus was named a top ranked high school in the Rio Grande Valley by Children at Risk for 2020. Achieve is also a five-time member of the State Honor Roll. Through its relationship with South Texas College, Early College High School students can earn an Associate’s Degree before they graduate high school.
Lamar Academy is home to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme — a world-renowned learning framework. Students can earn an IB diploma in addition to their high school diploma. In fact, students with an IB Diploma can get a minimum of 24 credit hours at any state university in Texas. In 2001, McAllen ISD became the first district in the Rio Grande Valley to offer the IB Diploma Programme. Historically, McAllen ISD students have earned the IB diploma with a success rate of 93.1 percent – one of the highest rates in the world.
