August 08, 2017
Parents looking to identify the best school options for a planned move should take note of the latest rankings from Niche, a Pittsburgh-based analytics company that specializes in using data to determine educational value.
Despite their "yinzer" backgrounds, the team at Niche is bullish on several Philadelphia area schools as the best in Pennsylvania.
Annual rankings are determined based on a report card comprised of six major categories and four secondary factors. The top criteria are academics, teachers, clubs and activities, diversity, college prep, and health and safety. Administration, food, sports, and resources and facilities are also in the mix.
Eight of this year's top ten Pennsylvania public schools are located in the greater Philadelphia area, with four holdovers from last year's list and a repeat at the top for Berwyn's Conestoga High School.
1. Conestoga High School — Tredyffrin-Easttown School District
2. Julia R. Masterman Secondary Secondary School - School District of Philadelphia
3. Harriton Senior High School - Lower Merion School District
4. Radnor Senior High School - Radnor Township School District
5. North Allegheny High School - North Allegheny School District
6. Unionville High School - Unionville-Chadds Ford School District
7. Fox Chapel Area High School - Fox Chapel Area School District
8. Lower Merion High School - Lower Merion School District
9. Downingtown STEM Academy - Downingtown Area School District
10. Strath Haven High School - Wallingford Swarthmore School District
Two Pennsylvania school districts also made Niche's national top ten.
1. Solon City School District - Solon, Ohio
2. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District - Wayne, Pennsylvania
3. Radnor Township School District - Radnor, Pennsylvania
4. School District of Clayton - Clayton, Ohio
5. Dublin City School District - Dublin, Ohio
6. South Texas Independent School District - Mercedes, Texas
7. Eanes Independent School District - Austin, Texas
8. Wellesley Public Schools - Wellesley, Massachusetts
9. Indian Hill Exempted Village School District - Cincinnati, Ohio
10. Lexington Public Schools - Lexington, Massachusetts
Among Pennsylvania's private schools, Germantown Friends School led a top 10 also studded with Philadelphia-area schools, including The Haverford School (#2) and The Baldwin School (#3) in Bryn Mawr.
Head over to Niche for a full look at school rankings and report cards.
