US News ranked the nation's high schools, and a Story County district made the list
Gilbert High School is one of the top public high schools in the state, according to a U.S. News and World Report.
The U.S. News and World Report's Best High School rankings for 2024 assess the quality of public high schools based on several key metrics; college readiness and college curriculum breadth, state assessment proficiency and performance, underserved student performance, and graduation rate are all factors in a school's ranking.
Gilbert is second-best in Iowa, behind only Iowa City West High School. Gilbert was the only Story County school in the study's top 25.
Gilbert received an overall score of 94.36 out of 100 to help capture the prestigious honor. They are ranked 996th nationally out of 25,000 public high schools.
The high school students come in with a strong educational foundation thanks to the foundational skills Gilbert Elementary, Intermediate, and Middle School provide, Gilbert High School Principal Cindy Basset said. The faculty then adds to that foundation, providing skills, experiences and opportunities to help students succeed.
"Our team of quality educators and support staff makes every day meaningful for GHS students," Bassett said. "Our kids are hard-working, academically focused students who care about learning and doing their best."
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High graduation rate and other factors decide annual rankings
Gilbert sports a 100 percent graduation rate according to the U.S. News report. It is one of only two schools in the state to boast a perfect rating, joining North Polk High School in Alleman.
Gilbert scored high in several categories. About 94% of the school's students were proficient in reading and science, according to state assessments, and 90% were proficient in mathematics.
Gilbert has a student body of 537, and a minority enrollment of 11.4%.
Ames High School was ranked 32nd in the state by U.S. News and World while Ballard High School in Huxley came in at No. 43.
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Iowa's top 10 high schools according to U.S. News and World
1. West High School (96.45)
2. Gilbert High School (94.36)
3. Pella High School (93.92)
4. Decorah High School (93.78)
5. Liberty High School (91.19)
6. Ankeny High School (91.16)
7. Adel DeSoto Minburn (ADM) High School (90.12)
8. Pleasant Valley High School (88.98)
9. Williamsburg Junior-Senior High School (88.38)
10. Iowa City High School (87.64)
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Gilbert ranked as one of the top schools in Iowa by U.S. News and World
