Written by Carol P. Bartold

May 7, 2014:  Despite earning top national and state rankings in previous annual surveys of high schools, Bronxville High School was designated "unranked" by U.S. News & World Report in its "2014 Best High Schools Rankings."

Bronxville superintendent Dr. David Quattrone explained that one of criteria used by U.S. News & World Report is the New York State Comprehensive English Regents Examination. Most Bronxville High School seniors, however, sit for the Advanced Placement (AP) English Language exam rather than the Regents exam. 

Based on Bronxville's results in the AP English Language exam, the survey deemed 100 percent of Bronxville students proficient in English.

Edgemont Jr./Sr. High School, Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, Rye High School, and Scarsdale High School received Gold Medal ratings in the survey. Edgemont ranked 58th nationally and 9th in New York State, Rye High School ranked 68th nationally and 11th in New York State, Horace Greely ranked 102nd nationally and 19th in New York State, and Scarsdale achieved 403rd nationally and 46th in New York State.

"I don't think rankings are helpful," Quattrone stated. "They don't explain the forms of excellence in the various schools."

A comparison of data collected by U.S. News & World Report reveals that Bronxville High School's results equal and, in some criteria, surpass results from Edgemont, Horace Greeley, Rye, and Scarsdale high schools.

With a College Readiness Index of 91.6 on a 100-point scale, Bronxville High School outranks Edgemont's 86.2, Rye's 83.2, Horace Greeley's 75.6, and Scarsdale's 51.1.

"Our college acceptance rate is very high," Quattrone said. "Actually, it's almost 100 percent. Only a few of our students each year don't go on to college."

Horace Greeley matched Bronxville's 100 percent English proficiency, while 99 percent of Scarsdale students were judged proficient in English, 97 percent at Edgemont, and 95 percent at Rye. However, Edgemont, Horace Greeley, and Scarsdale, each with a 3.8 English proficiency rating on a five-point scale, and Rye, with a 3.7 rating, ranked higher than Bronxville's 3.2. 

The survey judged 100 percent of Edgemont students proficient in math and 99 percent of students in Bronxville, Horace Greeley, Rye, and Scarsdale high schools proficient in mathematics. Edgemont's rating on a five-point scale was 3.8, Horace Greeley's, 3.7, Rye's and Scarsdale's, 3.6, and Bronxville's, 3.4.

According to Quattrone, Bronxville High School is moving toward more international comparisons, such as the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) exam, that measure critical thinking skills rather than memorization of facts. He noted that Bronxville tested "first in the world" on the PISA, which is given to 15-year-olds in 65 countries.

The U.S. News & World Report survey analyzed over 31,000 high schools in all 50 states and assessed reading and math results achieved by all students on each state's proficiency tests to determine if students performed better than statistically expected for average students in the state. Although the methodology factored in the percentage of economically disadvantaged students, Bronxville, Edgemont, and Scarsdale high schools did not have any students in that category. One percent of Horace Greeley students were reported as economically disadvantaged, and four percent at Rye.

The schools whose students performed better than their state's average were eligible to be judged on college readiness as measured by Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate test data, a program of international education and rigorous assessment active in 147 countries.

Pictured here:  The façade of The Bronxville School in spring.

Photo by A. Warner