Newsweek Ranks Shorewood High One of Top Schools in U.S.

Superintendent Blane McCann called it a credit to the entire district that was named one of the top 500 high schools in the nation by Newsweek magazine.

Using a mix of criteria including graduation rate and AP scores, the magazine ranked the high school 379th in the nation.

“We concentrate on good teaching, on a liberal arts education,” McCann said. “We work hard to create independent and critical thinkers. We do that not only at the high school, but throughout the district.”

Shorewood ranked seventh among 12 Wisconsin high schools to make the list, with ranked just ahead of Shorewood at 358th and toping the state in the rankings at No. 174 in the nation.

Other area schools to make the list include Homestead (205), Cedarburg (258), New Berlin West (325), New Berlin Eisenhower (414), Pewaukee (435) and Waukesha West (491).

Newsweek used an array of statistics to determine its rankings including graduation rates to account for 25 percent, another 25 percent for the college entry rate, 25 percent for Advanced Placement tests taken per graduate and a combined 25 percent for the average SAT/ACT scores, average AP/IB/AICE scores and AP courses offered.

Shorewood posted a 94 percent graduation rate with 92 percent of grads college-bound, according to Newsweek's ranking. Shorewood's average SAT score was within the top 100 among the schools ranked, although many school's scores weren't listed.

However, there was significant separation between Advanced Placement offerings and testing. Shorewood's cumulative ranking in the AP categories was 1.2, while Brookfield Central rated a 2.4.

McCann said Shorewood has a top-notch college prep high school.

“I think our students are ready for college once they leave the district,” McCann said. “We don’t do it for rankings, we do what we think is best for out students.”

He credits the district’s teachers and curriculum for the student's success.

“We make sure that we maintain a rigorous curriculum throughout our system,” McCann said. “Our community is one of the most highly educated in the state. Education is really valued here."

The rankings also noted Shorewood's average student to teacher ratio is 17.3.