For the sixth year in a row, Hollister High School has been ranked as a “Best High School” by U.S. News & World Report, which identifies the country’s top-performing public high school and measures how well schools serve students from various social and economic backgrounds.
HHS is ranked in the top 40% of schools nationally (5,446 out of 17,665 schools). Hollister High is also ranked 45th among San Jose metro area high schools and is ranked 689th out of 2,616 schools in California.
Schools are ranked by U.S. News based on their performance on state-required tests, graduation rates and how well they prepare students for college.
In its announcement of the Best High Schools, the publication noted, “A great high school educates all students from different social and economic backgrounds, exposing them to challenging coursework on the path to graduation. The highest ranked U.S. public schools in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023-2024 Best High Schools rankings are those whose students demonstrated outstanding outcomes above expectations in math, reading and science state assessments, earned qualifying scores in an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.”
Hollister High School Principal Kevin Medeiros said, “We are thrilled to be named one of the U.S. Best High Schools for the sixth year in a row. This is a testament to how dedicated our students, teachers, and community are to making our high school great. Together, we will keep pushing forward to continue our success.”
Hollister High School Associated Student Body President Jada Dickens said that in her role, “I am incredibly proud to represent a school that has been recognized as among the best in California and the country. At HHS, being a student means being part of a community that values excellence in every aspect of our education.”
Elaine Klauer, San Benito High School District’s Assistant Superintendent for Academics and Instructional Programs, said, “The Office of Academics is extremely proud to learn that Hollister High School has received its sixth consecutive appearance on the U.S. News Best High Schools list, reaffirming our commitment to academic success. Through innovative programming and dedication, our students have excelled and continue to exemplify excellence.
“This recognition highlights the importance of our amazing Advanced Placement program, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) initiatives, and robust Career Technical Education pathways, just to name a few. Congratulations to our students, faculty, families and community for their support in this remarkable achievement.”
SBHS District Superintendent Dr. Shawn Tennenbaum noted that Hollister High School being recognized for the sixth consecutive year on the “Best High Schools” list is a reflection of the consistent expectations and collective support of everyone involved with educating students, from the Board of Trustees, administration, educators and classified staff, to the community.
“Our mission statement says that our goal is to ‘educate all students to their highest potential so they will have the greatest range of personal options upon graduation’ and this ongoing, national recognition from U.S. News is a testament to that,” Tennenbaum said. “I am grateful that our educators, support staff, administrators, Board and community support our efforts to help all of our students achieve their goals as we promote rigor, relevance and inclusion on our campus.
“I am most proud of our consistent team effort, year over year, to deliver high quality education for all students.”
San Benito High School District Board of Trustees President Miguel Sahagun, a 1987 Hollister High School alumnus and a parent of current and former Haybalers, said he is proud of the District’s ongoing commitment to delivering the highest quality education to students.
“The continued recognition of Hollister High School’s excellence on the U.S. News Best High Schools list is inspiring,” Sahagun said. “We have so many teachers, staff and administrators that come in day to day and put in maximum effort to provide an excellent education and co-curricular opportunities for enrichment via clubs, student government and sports. It is wonderful validation for the work being done and the community should feel proud of the ongoing excellence.”
The methodology used to determine the best high schools focuses on six factors: college readiness, college curriculum breadth, state assessment proficiency and performance, underserved student performance and graduation rates.
College readiness specifically measures participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.
All public high schools in the nation were eligible to be evaluated as part of the rankings, and nearly all were evaluated in the process of calculating the rankings. U.S. News reviewed nearly 25,000 public high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Each school’s profile page on the U.S. News website shows detailed, school-specific information on enrollment, graduation rates, student body, location, school type, and results of state assessments, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests.
The rankings, which are published online, include an analysis of detailed statistical information including school-specific data on enrollment, diversity, graduation rates, participation in free and reduced-price lunch programs, state assessment results and AP and IB test participation and performance.
The Best High Schools rankings are available exclusively on USNews.com and include data on a variety of factors, such as enrollment, student diversity, participation in free and reduced-price lunch programs, graduation rates and the results of state assessments.
To read more about Hollister High School’s ranking, visit https://tinyurl.com/4r5y2vdk.
