OGDENSBURG — U.S. News & World Report has ranked Ogdensburg Free Academy among America’s Best High Schools in its latest rankings of nearly 25,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

"The Ogdensburg City School District is very proud to see U.S. News & World Report saying what many of us in Ogdensburg already know. Our Ogdensburg Free Academy administration, faculty and staff have worked very hard with our outstanding students to achieve this national ranking that puts us among the best of the best in the United States," said Kevin Kendall, Ogdensburg City School Superintendent.

Ogdensburg Free Academy ranks 363 in the state and 4,079 in the nation.

The district was chosen because of its top rankings on six factors based on student performance on state assessments and how well the school prepares students for college and future employment.

"This is a real testament to the efforts of our families and parents who have worked hard with us to prepare our children to achieve in school, college and in the workplace,” Kendall said.

In addition to traditional high schools, the rankings encompass charter; magnet; and science, technology, engineering and math-focused schools.

"I want to thank our school board and the greater Ogdensburg community for its support for our students who have worked hard to make this ranking possible," he said. "It's also very important to point out the efforts of our outstanding elementary school staff and faculty as well as our middle school staff and faculty whose hard work is shown in this prestigious award.

U.S. News & World Report uses measures including standardized test scores to assess math, science, and reading proficiency to compare schools nationwide to determine the best of the best.

The organization developed its national ranking system because it believes better education drives the future. Ogdensburg Free Academy was chosen for being among the top performing schools with students scoring above 75 percent of other schools in the nation. 

“We rank high schools across the country to give an unbiased look at how well schools serve their students and help you make informed decisions about your child’s education. We also want to recognize high-performing schools and inspire educators and municipalities to do better,” a spokesman for the magazine said. “The top-ranked schools have a high rate of students who scored well in math, science and reading state assessments, passed an array of college-level exams, and graduated in four years.”

The Best High Schools rankings identify the country's top-performing public high schools. The goal is to provide a clear, unbiased picture of how well public schools serve all of their students – from the highest to lowest achieving – in preparing them to demonstrate proficiency in basic skills as well as readiness for college-level work.

U.S. News & World Report acknowledges the importance of America's high schools and the role of education in driving the country's future. Recognizing schools that are performing well and providing them as models to other schools can inspire educators and communities to do better.