WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – Niche, the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools, released its 2022 Best Schools and Districts rankings today. Now in its eighth year, the K-12 school rankings include updated data for 94,491 public schools, 2,489 private schools, and 11,846 school districts nationwide.
This year, Bridgeport High School rose to #1 Best Public High School in West Virginia from #3 in 2021. In the Private High School rankings, The Linsly School remains #1. Here are the top fives for both rankings:
- Bridgeport High School
- Morgantown High School
- University High School
- George Washington High School
- Winfield High School
2022 Best Private High Schools in West Virginia
- The Linsly School
- Charleston Catholic High School
- St. Joseph Catholic High School
- Parkersburg Catholic High School
- Whitmore School
While traditional rankings rely almost exclusively on metrics like test scores and academic performance, Niche’s rankings provide a more personal view of a school. They combine user input — ratings from current students, alumni, and parents — with quantitative data from sources like the U.S. Department of Education to evaluate teachers, resources and facilities, extracurricular activity opportunities, and more. The 2022 Best Schools rankings include 1,829 newly ranked public schools, 125 newly ranked private schools, and 101 newly ranked school districts.
This year, for the first time ever, The Davidson Academy in Reno, NV is the Best Public School in America. It has risen significantly over time, having ranked #7 in 2020 and #18 in 2019. Phillips Academy in Andover, MA remains the Best Private School in America. Since Niche first started ranking schools, Phillips Academy has been #1 every year except 2015 and 2020.
“Our 2022 rankings come at a time when so many parents are curious about the different options for their children’s education, including some they may never have considered before,” said Luke Skurman, Founder and CEO of Niche. “No matter where they are in their search process, we strive to be a reliable guide and resource. It is truly an honor to know our users trust us to play a key role in such a big life decision.”
The most significant change to the methodology in 2022 was a de-emphasis of SAT and ACT scores. Any factor for test scores has been reduced by one third. Similar to the decision made for the 2022 Best Colleges ranking, Niche chose to alter the methodology for several reasons: acknowledgement of socioeconomic and racial disparities perpetuated by standardized tests, challenges making appointments to test in-person due to COVID-19, and an increasing number of institutions adopting test-optional policies.
In the midst of the pandemic, many people have been rethinking their choices on schools and communities. Niche’s rankings provide parents and students with valuable information and insights on schools in their area, or perhaps in a new neighborhood. As in previous years, the Best Schools rankings include categories for boarding, charter, and magnet schools as well as schools for STEM and the arts among many others.
To see a full list of the 2022 Best Schools rankings, visit: https://www.niche.com/k12/rankings/
ABOUT NICHE
Niche is the leading platform connecting students and families with colleges and schools. We believe finding the right school shouldn’t be hard, so we’re committed to making it easy for our users to discover and connect with the best ones for them. On Niche, users have access to comprehensive profiles on every school in America — from the ones they know to the ones they have yet to discover. With unique ratings, honest reviews, personalized recommendations, and tools to guide users through every step, Niche is changing the way millions of people find and connect with their school.