By Jeff Toquinto on January 28, 2016
Connect Bridgeport
Another Web site ranking a demographic statewide once again has a favorable showing for the City of Bridgeport. This time, it’s the educational front getting some online live.
In a report that was released in late 2015, the Web site k12.niche.com released its report of the top 100 high schools in the country, which also included a breakdown of the top high schools in West Virginia. Although Bridgeport didn’t make the top 100 schools in the nation, the Web site did have the school situated along Johnson Avenue ranked No. 2 in West Virginia behind University High School.
This isn’t the first time a Web site or poll has ranked the high school at or near the top of the state educational standings. BHS Principal Mark DeFazio is aware that the criteria probably isn’t the same for every ranking that is done and that some may find fault with the methodology. However, he said to continually rank high in all of them proves something to him.
“There have been a lot of different sites out there doing these rankings and I’ve seen us ranked in some of them in recent years as low as five and some of them where we’re ranked number one,” DeFazio said. “You see a lot of the same names like Morgantown, University,George Washington, Fairmont Senior and I think Herbert Hoover as well so you know there’s something consistent about these rankings and to be at or near the top of them is a good thing. The consistency shows there is some validity.”
While the Web site rankings for any of the lists generated can be disputed, k12.niche.com provides their list of criteria for determining how schools were ranked. You can find that criteria by clicking HERE. The rankings are compiled by using "state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality, student and parent reviews, and more," according to the Web site.
“The only thing the Web sites go by is data … The areas that are most often used are areas we do well in. When you look at Bridgeport High School students and that data it’s always a positive and why we’re always up there at or near the top,” said DeFazio. “It’s what we want when these rankings come out and it’s what we expect. Anything less and we’re missing the boat.”
The Web site is known for its work in ranking schools across America. According to its home page, it ranks and reviews roughly 120,000 United States schools and school districts. The resource can be utilized to find the top public and private schools in areas where individuals may be moving to.
Click HERE for the complete state breakdown of public schools.
Click HERE for the list of the 100 top public high schools in the country.
