In what Indianapolis Deputy Mayor Jason Kloth termed “fantastic, well-deserved, news” Herron High School learned recently that The Washington Post ranked the school #142 in the nation for academic rigor and college preparation.
The report, titled America’s Most Challenging High Schools, analyzed data for successful programs of college level coursework using what the Washington Post called a challenge index. Of the approximately 22,000 American high schools, only 1,900 schools (9 percent) made the list.
Jay Matthews of the Washington Post explains: “The index score is the number of college-level tests given at a school in 2012 divided by the number of graduates that year. The Challenge Index is designed to identify schools that have done the best job in persuading average students to take college-level courses and tests.”
Jonathan Harris, Herron High School’s dean of students and advanced placement director, says the school’s leadership is not complacent about rigorous curriculum.
“We are honored to be numbered among the top schools in the country. However, we are still not content. We have room to grow and we will work relentlessly to maintain an environment of academic rigor to better prepare our students for college and beyond.”
Herron currently offers 16 Advanced Placement (AP) courses.
The College Board’s Advanced Placement courses are rigorous courses that challenge students to perform at the college level. AP exams taken in May each year measure college-level competency. The exams are graded on a 5-point scale and may confer college credit if a student passes with a score of 3 or higher.
“It is fantastic that the Herron community is being recognized in this manner,” said Malcolm Gilchrist, AP United States history teacher. “We have a culture of high expectation for our whole community. The administration makes sure the faculty continues to grow, the faculty challenges the students to push themselves out of their academic comfort zones, and the students inspire all of us with their hard work and dedication. This national recognition is well deserved.”
In addition to the highly successful Advanced Placement program, Herron High School has other notable statistics. Herron’s 2012 graduation rate was 93.4 percent, and 94 percent of last year’s graduates are attending colleges or universities.
