1,742 public high schools in 25 states honored for college readiness, success

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GreatSchools' 5th annual College Success Award recognizes high schools that excel at helping students enroll and persist in college

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 22, 2022  /PRNewswire/ -- As students return to the classroom this fall, 1,742 high schools in 25 states¹ have a new reason to celebrate. Today, the nonprofit GreatSchools announced the recipients of its 2022 College Success Award, an annual recognition that honors high schools excelling at preparing students to enroll and succeed in college, as determined by available data in each state.

Now in its fifth year, this data-driven award offers a snapshot of whether a high school prepares students to enroll in college, succeed with college-level coursework, and persist into their second year. State education agencies in these 25 states provided the necessary high school and postsecondary data to determine the winners and help communities understand how local schools are preparing students for college.

Schools in 8 of the 25 states — Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, and Ohio — have been recognized with College Success Awards since its inception because of their states' transparent data policies that make college enrollment, performance, and persistence information publicly available to families. Maine and Nevada high schools became eligible for the award for the first time this year.

"For five years, we have had the privilege of recognizing schools for doing exactly what they set out to do: prepare students for success after high school," said GreatSchools CEO Jon Deane. "In doing so, we've learned so much about the creative ways these schools are supporting students for lifelong success,  especially those from historically marginalized communities. We applaud all of the winners for their hard work — and the 25 states for making these valuable data publicly available to parents."

Although the college success metrics highlighted through the College Success Award help parents understand successful practices of public high schools, they do not represent an exhaustive list of all the educational experiences that can set students on the road to successful and fulfilling careers. A recent GreatSchools report examined the availability of career and technical education (CTE) and pathways data across the nation. These programs, along with work-based learning experiences, have been associated with a greater likelihood of high school completion and potential college enrollment among participants.

"We pride ourselves on ensuring every student has the skills and experiences they need to find success after high school," said Jason E. Glass, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Education, which has participated in the College Success Award since its inception. The state also places a strong emphasis on CTE in its high school curricula — data for which was recently added to GreatSchools profiles of Kentucky high schools. "The strength of Kentucky's career and technical education programs shows the state's commitment to giving our students vibrant and engaging learning experiences, which is one of the big ideas in United We Learn, our vision for the future of public education in the Commonwealth. We are proud of the example our schools are setting for other public institutions across the country."

In addition to building demand for greater data transparency, the College Success Award serves as a repository of excellence in high school education from which GreatSchools has identified best practices, conducted research, and shared stories from principals, parents, and teachers at schools doing an exceptional job of serving students from low-income families.

Explore the Award methodology and browse the full list of winners at bit.ly/3QQORim.

GreatSchools is the leading nonprofit providing high-quality information that supports parents pursuing a great education for their child, schools striving for excellence, and communities working to diminish inequities in education. We are the only national organization that collects and analyzes data from all 51 state departments of education and the federal government to provide analysis, insights, and school quality ratings for parents, partners, researchers, and policymakers. Over 49 million users visit GreatSchools' award-winning website annually to learn about schools in their area, explore research insights, and access thousands of free, evidence-based parenting resources to support their child's learning and well-being. Learn more at GreatSchools.org and join us on Twitter and Facebook.

SOURCE GreatSchools, Inc.