Urban Schools Among Nation’s Best High Schools

Four big-city schools in Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles placed in the top 10 in U.S. News & World Report’s  2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings. The magazine ranked 18,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia rose in the rankings from number eight last year to number three this year. The school serves students in grades 5-12, and its Advanced Placement participation rate is 100%. In addition, the majority of students in the school are from economically disadvantaged families, according to U.S News & World Report.

The School Without Walls High School in Washington, D.C., ranked 5^th; the School for the Talented and Gifted at Yvonne A. Ewell Townview Center in Dallas ranked 8^th; and the Science Academy STEM Magnet High School in Los Angeles ranked 10^th.  

The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings use several key performance indicators, including student achievement on state-required assessments, strong graduation rates, and college readiness measures. Evaluations of college readiness are specifically measured through student participation and performance on Advanced Placement and Baccalaureate tests. The rankings also consider curriculum breadth and overall student outcomes.