Top 5 Public High Schools in Palm Beach County
The School District of Palm Beach County is the tenth largest in the nation and the fifth largest in the State of Florida serving more than 193,000 students who speak 146 languages and dialects. As the largest employer in Palm Beach County, the school district has 22,340 employees, including more than 12,900 teachers. Considering graduation rate, college readiness*, and student-to-teacher ratio, below are the top 5 public high schools in Palm Beach County. All five of these schools happen to be magnet schools, which means that all residents of Palm Beach County are eligible to apply for attendance regardless of zoning.
1. Suncoast Community High School, Riviera Beach FL
Suncoast Community High School is a “magnet school” which means that all residents of Palm Beach County are eligible to apply for attendance, which is based upon Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) scores, teacher recommendations, and GPA. Additionally, students who complete the IB Middle Years Programme at an area middle school, such as John F. Kennedy Middle School, are automatically admitted. Suncoast has four magnet programs: computer science; interactive technology; International Baccalaureate; and math, science and engineering. Students can participate in the Advanced Placement Capstone program as well as the IB career or diploma programs, and can earn industry certifications in a number of technical subjects. The school also offers Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education courses. In addition, students can participate in the school’s more than 100 clubs and more than 40 sports teams.
Graduation Rate: 100%
College Readiness: 91.1
Total Enrollment: 1,562
Student-Teacher Ratio : 18:1
2. Alexander W. Dreyfoos Jr. High School of the Arts, West Palm Beach FL
Alexander W. Dreyfoos Junior School of the Arts is a “magnet school” which means that all residents of Palm Beach County are eligible to apply for attendance, which is based on an extensive audition process and GPA. Dreyfoos has four magnet programs: Communication Arts, Dance, Digital Media, Music, Theatre, and Visual Arts. Alexander W. Dreyfoos High School of the Arts also focuses on academic excellence, requiring students to maintain honor roll or higher during their entire high school career, and offers an exhaustive list of post-secondary opportunities such as Stanford, Brown, Harvard, NYU, Princeton, and Yale. For the full list, click here.
Graduation Rate : 99%
College Readiness : 89.1
Total Enrollment : 1,419
Student-Teacher Ratio : 20:1
3. Spanish River Community High School, Boca Raton FL
Spanish River is a comprehensive high school that offers numerous Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The school has four specialized academies: American History and Law, Biotechnology, Early Childhood and Entrepreneurship. Spanish River’s athletic teams have won a number of state titles, including championships in girls’ cross country, boys’ soccer, girls’ soccer, boys’ tennis, girls’ tennis, boys’ swimming, girls’ swimming, boys’ volleyball, and girls’ volleyball.
Graduation Rate: 95%
College Readiness: 54.6
Total Enrollment: 2,335
Student-Teacher Ratio : 19:1
4. Boca Raton Community High School, Boca Raton FL
Boca Raton Community High School is a public high school that has been rated an "A" school each consecutive year by the Florida Department of Education since the year 2005. Boca High is known for its magnet program, called STEM. This stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. In 2010, Boca High ranked 62 in the 2010 Newsweek list of the 1,000 Top High Schools. In 2011, Boca High was ranked 22nd in the country according to Newsweek.com. Boca High has an extensive athletic department which includes swimming, diving, volleyball, football, golf, cross country, cheerleading, bowling, basketball, soccer, weightlifting, wrestling, baseball, lacrosse, softball, tennis, track & field, and water polo.
Graduation Rate: 94%
College Readiness: 52.7
Total Enrollment: 3,396
Student-Teacher Ratio : 19:1
5. Jupiter High School, Jupiter FL
Jupiter High School is the northernmost high school in Palm Beach County. The new campus opened in 2003 costing over $56 million. The school sits on 12 acres, which is also home to the football stadium, baseball fields, tennis courts, and practice fields. Jupiter High School is host to a wide variety of magnet school programs, accredited by the State of Florida Department of Education. They include the Jupiter Environmental Research and Field Studies Academy, Engineering Technology Academy, Medical Academy, and the Criminal Justice Academy. In addition to magnet programs, the school also offers 30 AP courses, a wide variety of fine arts, and diverse academic electives. Jupiter High School is host to over 100 registered student organizations. Many of Jupiter High's clubs have competed and won at State and National levels such as: lacrosse, rugby, softball, baseball, flag football, debate, drama, the competitive robotics team, state-ranked marching band, and the nationally ranked table tennis team.
Graduation Rate: 92%
College Readiness: 45.1
Total Enrollment: 2,992
Student-Teacher Ratio : 18:1
* College readiness is a weighted average based 25% on the Advanced Placement or Interbacheloreate participation rate and 75% on the quality-adjusted AP or IB participation rate. The maximum value is 100.
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