Forsyth and Cherokee Counties each had four high schools on this year's U.S. News & World Report list of the best in the country. That was the highest number among the Georgia school districts outside of metro Atlanta.
U.S., News categorizes the best schools as winners of gold, silver or bronze medals, and the schools on the list from Forsyth, Cherokee, Fayette and Hall counties were silver medal winners.
Fayette County had three schools listed, and Hall County two.
City school systems in Decatur, Buford and Cartersville each had one school on the list.
Nationwide, schools in large cities received far more gold medals than schools in remote rural areas. Gold awards reflect the best preparation of students for college, based partly on their participating in and passing Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. For a school to be eligible for a gold or silver medal, its students must also do well on statewide tests and graduate at high rates.
In evaluating more than 20,500 public high schools nationwide U.S. News says it looks at the proportion of students who exceed academic expectations, taking into account how many students are from low-income families. It also factors in graduation rates and students’ performance on state tests.
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