Which Maine High School Ranks 2nd On National ‘Best’ List?

Each year the publication US News and World Report compiles several "Best Of" lists, including Best States, Healthiest Communities, Best Cities...you get the picture. One off the categories they rank is the Nation's Best High Schools. And this year, a Maine school made #2 on the list!

According to the U.S. News website, the criteria for achieving a spot on this prestigious ranking is pretty strict: 'The 2019 Best High Schools rankings take a holistic approach to evaluating schools, looking at six factors: college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates. Specifically, college readiness measures participation and performance on AP and IB exams.'

So which Maine High School earned a spot on this year's list? Well, that would be the Maine School of Science and Mathematics, in Limestone! The list came out earlier this week, and to say the folks at MSSM are excited would be an understatement! In an article put out in this week's Boston Globe online, MSSM's Dean of Enrollment, Alan Whittemore, said “We know what we’re doing up here, but for us, as a small school on the fringes of Maine, to be recognized nationally — for others to take hold of the data and say we’re worthy of being second in the nation — I’m still numbed by it. It’s a great feeling. ”

Some other High Schools on the list include the Academic Magnet High School, in South Carolina, which took the top spot on the list. Also mentioned were schools in Arizona, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Arkansas, Michigan, Illinois and Indiana.