DALLAS, TX / ACCESSWIRE / April 29, 2021 / Uplift Education, the largest group of free public charter schools in North Texas, was recently recognized by the U.S. News and World Report as having some of the top high schools in the nation. This annual list recognizes high schools based on a variety of factors, including effective college preparation and successful college completion. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation rates, and how well they prepare students for college. This annual list of rankings reflects the rigor and success of our commitment to our students on the road to success in college and in life.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the 2021 Best High Schools rankings take a more holistic approach to evaluating schools, looking at six factors: college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rates. Specifically, college readiness measures participation and performance on Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. The new methodology assigns weights to the six factors and then produces an overall score on which the ranking is based. The data used in this edition is from the 2018-2019 academic school year, and therefore was not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

All eligible Uplift High schools were ranked in the top 29%, and Uplift North Hills, Uplift Summit International, Uplift Williams, Uplift Peak, and Uplift Infinity all ranked in the top 10%. Uplift Peak rose in the rankings 797 spots to become #989 in the nation out of 24,000 schools evaluated.

Uplift's IB For All Initiative saw all 10 of our high schools offer the prestigious International Baccalaureate Diploma. 132 full diplomas were awarded and over 3100 college credit hours were earned by the class of 2020.

The Uplift schools have been ranking high on the list for many years. Uplift has a rare respect for the importance of challenging every student, regardless of zip code and is ahead of the curve with a robust Road to College & Career program that supports students and families as they prepare to apply for, enroll in, and graduate from college. Our program has a track record of 100% college acceptance and has two main goals: (1) 70% of alumni graduating college within 6 years and (2) 90% of Uplift graduates earning an economically viable post-secondary credential and career pathway. Uplift graduates also earn college degrees at a rate of 4X the national average for low-income students (80% of Uplift graduates are low income).

Uplift Education CEO, Yasmin Bhatia stated, "Increasing student academic achievement has always been our top priority. Now it is clear by objective measures that we are elevating college and career aspirations for all students and ensuring every student has the tools to not only meet but exceed those aspirations. On behalf of Uplift Education, I congratulate our staff, scholars, and parents for a job well done! Achieving such high rankings is certainly an accomplishment worth celebrating."

Traditionally, more than 80% of Uplift high school students sit for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program assessment and have the opportunity to earn up to 24 college credit hours. Uplift provides every student with access to a more rigorous curriculum and a more robust college preparation program.

Uplift Education

Uplift Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the lives of teachers, families, and, most importantly, students. With a network of 43 college preparatory, public charter schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Uplift offers students of any background the powerful chance to study within a multidisciplinary curriculum and prepare for the college career they deserve. Uplift is the largest International Baccalaureate district in Texas and the #2 IB district in the nation because of the number of holistic extracurricular and educational programs. The incredible educators in the Uplift network guide and teach nearly 20,000 students in Pre-K- 12^th grades, with the majority being low-income and minority students who will be the first in their family to attend college. For more information Uplift's mission and their blind lottery selection system, visit uplifteducation.org or facebook.com/uplifteducation.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Deekay Fox
Senior Marketing and Communications Director
dfox@uplifteducation.org
661-378-2353

SOURCE: Uplift Education