Lincoln-Way High Schools Named Among Newsweek's Top in the Country

Newsweek tipped its hat in favor of all four schools in Lincoln-Way High School District 210 when naming the best high schools in the country. 

“Congratulations on your school’s accomplishment,” Newsweek/Daily Beast reporter Lauren Streib wrote in a note to Lincoln-Way High School District 210. “I’m thrilled to let you know that (Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way North and Lincoln-Way West) made our list.”

Based on information gathered for the 2011-12 school year, Newsweek and The Daily Beast determined all four Lincoln-Way High School District 210 schools have proven to be among the most effective in turning out college-ready grads. They rank among the best 2,000 public high schools in the nation with Lincoln-Way East coming in at No. 496; Lincoln-Way North coming in at 1,179; Lincoln-Way West at 1,182; and Lincoln-Way Central at 1,188.

Just last month, U.S. News & World Report ranked Lincoln-Way East High School among its top high schools in America after evaluating more than 21,000 public high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia, looking at state proficiency standards and how well each school prepares students for college.

According to that report, Lincoln-Way East ranked 47 United States. It was the only south suburban high school to place in the magazine’s annual report.

“We are pleased by the national recognition all four of our high schools have received,” stated .

 “We do everything in our power to work to improve all Lincoln-Way students’ academic achievement in all four of the high schools,” he added. “This accomplishment is a credit to the entire district. It is a feather in the cap of our District 210 teachers, students, staff, administration, parents, and community. Everyone works hard to help our students.”

Other area high schools that made the list:

Homewood-Flossmoor and Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in Palos were all also in the top 2,000 in the nation. 

For its rankings, Newsweek sent out a survey to more than 5,000 high schools in the U.S., with about 2,500 schools responding in 2013. You can see the details about the high schools' ranking, and every other ranked school by clicking on the markers in the interactive map above.

The survey scores were then weighted and calculated using several criteria including on-time graduation and college acceptance rates. In addition, instead of averaging the number of courses offered, this year Newsweek considered the percentage of students enrolled in AP, IB or Advance International Certificate courses. The final scores then determined Newsweek’s final rankings

You can read more about Newsweek's methodology here.

—Original reporting by Sarah Flagg

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