Best Schools 2010: The Rankings

| Boston Magazine |

New: The 2011 rankings are in — go here for the latest!

From the highest SAT scores to the top graduation rates, browse exclusive rankings of local districts in our expanded chart.

[sidebar]Check out the top public high schools chart for a look at student-teacher ratio, MCAS and SAT scores, and more.

Our rankings this year were computed by statistician George Recck, director of the Math Resource Center at Babson College. As in years past, we gathered the most recent available data on area schools by consulting school officials and websites, as well as the Massachusetts Department of Education. With this information, Recck calculated mean scores for each data category and then ranked schools based on their distance from the averages.

  • chris

    The methodology for ranking the public high schools places too much weight on inputs ($ spent), rather than outputs (student results — graduation rates, college continuation, and test). The result

  • val

    when can we expect the list of provate schools? Also, it would have been nice to have some discussion about what made these schools the best. A list does not help much in the overall decision making process.

  • val

    when can we expect the list of provate schools? Also, it would have been nice to have some discussion about what made these schools the best. A list does not help much in the overall decision making process.

  • val

    when can we expect the list of prIvate schools? Also, it would have been nice to have some discussion about what made these schools the best. A list does not help much in the overall decision making process.

  • Denise

    I am totally baffled as to how you choose the top 50. Shrewsbury MA did not make the Top 50 yet their scores are high, with 78% of students continuing to higher ed. I saw Tahanto in your Top 50 yet I can’t even find them (Boylston, Berlin REgl)in your expanded listing?

  • Denise

    I am totally baffled as to how you choose the top 50. Shrewsbury MA did not make the Top 50 yet their scores are high, with 78% of students continuing to higher ed. I saw Tahanto in your Top 50 yet I can’t even find them (Boylston, Berlin REgl)in your expanded listing?

  • educated parent

    Interesting that Weston makes the top on your list. Let’s see…wealthiest community in the state with virtually no moderate or lower income residents to bring test scores down. Many parents with the resources to offer their children private tutoring and academic support where the school is lacking. So as you see, this can account for higher test scores. And let’s not forget the role genetics play! But talk to anyone in Weston and they will tell you how the school system has somewhat inexperienced and weak administrators who don’t seem to support achievement. Students who achieve seem to do so in spite of the school system. There are many other towns who offer their students more: Lexington, Newton, Acton-Boxborough to name just a few.

  • educated parent

    Interesting that Weston makes the top on your list. Let’s see…wealthiest community in the state with virtually no moderate or lower income residents to bring test scores down. Many parents with the resources to offer their children private tutoring and academic support where the school is lacking. So as you see, this can account for higher test scores. And let’s not forget the role genetics play! But talk to anyone in Weston and they will tell you how the school system has somewhat inexperienced and weak administrators who don’t seem to support achievement. Students who achieve seem to do so in spite of the school system. There are many other towns who offer their students more: Lexington, Newton, Acton-Boxborough to name just a few.

  • SAM

    Better education = higher paying job= more expensive homes=higher property tax= more municipal revenue = better education for your children = so YES, public education is very much tied to money.

  • MARIA

    FINLAND HAS THE BEST EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. THE UNITED STATES ARE NOT THE TOP 20 ANY MORE. WE REMAIN AS SUPERPOWER IN THE WORLD AND THE EDUCATION IN THE THIRD WORLD. WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY: WAITING FOR SUPERMAN. THE BEST SCHOOLS ARE PRIVATE.

  • Lisa

    You haven’t posted independent school rankings since 2009. Please do so soon.

  • Gerry

    Why are some schools omitted? Nipmuk and Grafton HS to name a few. Are they not accredited ar do they just fall under #161?

  • Anonymous

    You look at weston and see that 18k spent. what about the lower list schools. go take a look at page 4. Out of the bottom 10 schools on this list 7 of them spend 17.9k. So stop talking when you think money input is the only factor in this.

  • carlen

    I am curious as to why articles always include schools not in the greater boston area. Honestly if i have been looking for an article that rated Boston public school against one another and the articles i keep finding are all on places like Shrewbury. Schools not even in the Boston Public School’s jurisdiction. I think if the articles had said the list was for all of Massachusetts then yeah I can see branching out but when trying to find an honest comparison of the school in Boston this article falls short.