Greensboro, Ga. (May 17, 2021) – US News & World Report has released its annual rankings of the best high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. The rankings include data on 17,857 public high schools based on their performance on state assessments, AP® programs, graduation, and college readiness.

For the 2021 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings, data from the 2018-19 school year was used to assess schools based on a six-factor formula devised by the magazine. Lake Oconee Academy had an overall score of 90.91/100 based on AP course enrollment and exam pass rate, mathematics and reading proficiency, and graduation rate. Lake Oconee Academy was ranked as follows:

#40 in Georgia High Schools (top 9%)

#1,623 in National Rankings (top 9%)

#266 in Charter High Schools (National, top 9%))

65.5/100 College Readiness Index (#9 Georgia - top 2%, #464 National – top 2.5%)

97.5% College-Ready Student Performance (based on AP exams)

The six factors used in the methodology to determine the rankings are:

·         College Readiness (30%), defined by enrollment and pass rate on AP exams.

·         Math and Reading Proficiency (20%), defined by aggregated scores on state-required testing.

·         Math and reading Performance (20%), defined by state testing results compared to expectations based on the school’s demographics.

·         Underserved Student Performance (10%), defined by state testing results among students who are Black, Hispanic and from low-income households compared to non-underserved students.

·         College Curriculum Breadth (10%), defined by qualifying scores on AP exams in multiple areas.

·         Graduation Rate (10%)

“Achievements such as these are the work of everyone at Lake Oconee Academy–students, faculty and families,” said LOA CEO Dr. Otho Tucker. “Our high school faculty does an excellent job preparing the students for their entrance into higher education. Our elementary and middle school faculty build the foundation for success. It is truly a team effort. I am proud of our students and their commitment to embracing the knowledge that a quality education will set a path for the rest of their lives.