Johnson County high schools are well-represented in a new ranking of Kansas public schools by U.S. News & World Report.
The publication released its yearly state-by-state “Best High School Rankings” for 2024, and Johnson County schools took seven of the top 10 spots in Kansas, including all five high schools in Blue Valley, as well as a school apiece from Shawnee Mission and USD 232.
Around 18,000 high schools were ranked nationally for the list.
Blue Valley Superintendent Tonya Merrigan said the recognition speaks to the strength of her district’s teachers and staff.
“The fact that all of them [high schools] are recognized really speaks to our district and the work that we do,” she said.
Every Blue Valley high school landed in the top 10
Produced by annually by U.S. News and World Report, the “Best High Schools” list takes in six factors when making its rankings:
- College readiness
- State assessment proficiency
- State assessment performance
- Underserved student performance
- College curriculum breadth
- Graduation rate
Johnson County schools in the Kansas top 10 include:
- Blue Valley (#2)
- Shawnee Mission East (#3)
- Blue Valley North (#4)
- Blue Valley West (#5)
- Blue Valley Northwest (#6)
- De Soto (#7)
- Blue Valley Southwest (#8)
“I think that this absolutely supports what we have been saying, really, for as long as I’ve been here — that Blue Valley Schools provides an exceptional education to set students up for whatever they want to do when they leave here,” Merrigan said.
Olathe Northwest, Mill Valley High, Shawnee Mission South and Shawnee Mission Northwest all landed places in the top 20 in U.S. News’ rankings this year.
The top spot in Kansas was given to Sumner Academy in Kansas City, Kansas.
Other schools were happy for the recognition
At De Soto High in USD 232, Principal Sam Ruff said he’s happy that the school’s staff is being recognized, even if landing on a national list isn’t their primary goal.
“I think we focus on doing what we can to have high expectations and high levels of support for our students,” he said. “It’s nice — the recognition — but not ever the reason for what we do.”
Knowing that multiple Johnson County schools made the top 10, Ruff said, speaks to how much the area values quality education for its students.
“I believe all schools are working really hard to support students,” he said. “De Soto has so many people who truly care and are willing to go the extra mile to make this place great.”
Administrators say credit goes beyond the schools
Both Merrigan and Ruff gave credit not only to the staff at their high schools, but also middle and elementary school teachers, as well as parents.
“What’s unique about Blue Valley is that we have amazing, amazing staff in our buildings who work with kids,” Merrigan said. “But we also have a really supportive parent community. And the trifecta of it is we have a supportive business community as well. So all three of those things really set our students up for success.”
Ruff added: “The family and community support throughout the district, and the work taking place at our district office and in our elementary and middle schools, all play a role in the success of our students.”
Other education news: Blue Valley educator, advocate for students with special needs named ‘Master Teacher’
