This SC high school is making the grade — it’s among the best in US, ranking says

Academic Magnet High School, in North Charleston, South Carolina, is the second best high school in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings.

With a student-teacher ratio of 17-to-1, a graduation rate of 100 — and a reading proficiency rate to match, Academic Magnet High School scored well across the board.

It is also the only South Carolina high school to be ranked within the top 100.

Nearly 18,000 U.S. schools were ranked, according to U.S. News & World Report. Rankings were determined based on graduation rates, academic performance in math and reading tests, college readiness, college curriculum breadth and underserved student performance.

The North Charleston school is one of several magnet schools that made it high up on the list. The best 10 in the U.S. were as follows:

1. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (VA)
2. Academic Magnet High School (SC)
3. Merrol Hyde Magnet School (TN)
4. School for Advanced Studies (FL)
5. Townsend Harris High School (NY)
6. The School for the Talented and Gifted (TX)
7. BASIS Chandler (AZ)
8. Haas Hall Academy Bentonville (AR)
9. Payton College Preparatory High School (IL)
10. Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School (TX)

This isn’t the first time the Academic Magnet High School has been recognized as a top performer — last year AMHS took first place in U.S. News’ rankings.

“The mission of the Academic Magnet High School is to challenge each student, parent and teacher with the high expectations of a rigorous curriculum, and to provide a learning environment that prepares students for college and future careers,” the school’s mission statement says. “Our students are encouraged to be contributing members of the community, to acquire a sense of global responsibility, and to cultivate and uphold respect for cultural diversity.”

Minority students account for 20 percent of the school’s enrollment, and 2 percent of the student body is considered economically disadvantaged, according to the U.S. News rankings.