Schools

Daniel Hand High School Picked As One Of Top Schools In Country By Newsweek

Graduation rate, college matriculation rate, AP tests taken per gradate, average SAT/ACT scores, and other factors cited; Developing a "yardstick that fully reflects a school's success turning out college-ready (and life-ready) students"

Daniel Hand High School has been picked as one of the top schools in the country by Newsweek magazine.

Ranked at 231 out of the top 500, Hand received its ranking as a result of its graduation rate, college matriculation rate, AP tests taken per gradate, average SAT/ACT scores, and other factors.

“We are proud and honored by this recognition of Daniel Hand High School as one of the nation’s top high schools," said Madison Schools Superintendent David Klein. i

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Klein said the district enjoys continued success because of the several "important and highly interconnected factors" including

  • excellent students who are motivated and come to school each day prepared to learn;
  • extremely supportive and involved parents;
  • talented, focused and dedicated educators and
  • a community that values and enthusiastically supports quality public education.” 

“What a great way to top off the school year," said Madison First Selectman Fillmore McPherson. "Congratulations to the teachers, administrators, parents, and, above all, to the students for achieving this honor.”

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Here is a link to the article in Newsweek.

Here is Newsweek's explanation of the article:

"These are challenging times for secondary education. Cash-strapped school districts are cutting back; No Child Left Behind mandates test results; parents and students stress unabated. NEWSWEEK, which has been ranking the top public high schools in America for more than a decade, revamped its methodology this year in hopes of highlighting solutions."

Newsweek said a panel of experts including Wendy Kopp of Teach For America, Tom Vander Ark of Open Education Solutions and former executive director for education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,  and Linda Darling-Hammond, Stanford professor of education and founder of the School Redesign Network, helped develop the system of picking the schools.

The goal, Newsweek said, was "to develop a yardstick that fully reflects a school’s success turning out college-ready (and life-ready) students." 

For more information on how these rankings were tabulated, see the Full Methodology.

Top schools in Connecticut as ranked by Newsweek in this article include

  • Wilton High School
  • Lyme-Old Lyme High School
  • Daniel Hand High School
  • Brookfield High School
  • Avon High School
  • Joel Barlow High School in Redding, CT
  • Hall High School in West Hartford, CT
  • Valley Regional High School in Deep River
  • East Lyme High School
  • South Windsor High School
  • Conard High School in West Hartford
  • New Fairfield High School


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