Basis Tucson has been named among America's Best High Schools by Newsweek magazine.
The charter school was ranked third out of more than 1,000 public high schools across the country.
The only other Tucson-area school that made the list was Canyon del Oro High School, ranking No. 408.
The Newsweek ranking is different from years past when it relied on the Challenge Index, which measures the rigor of schools' academic programs by calculating the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests taken at the school in relation to the number of graduating seniors.
The Challenge Index has migrated to the Washington Post, which named Basis Tucson fourth among all public high schools.
The methodology for the new Newsweek rankings is based on six components: graduation rate, college matriculation rate, AP tests taken per graduate, average SAT/ACT scores, average AP/IB/AICE scores, and AP courses offered.
"Basis Tucson students and teachers should take great pride in this accomplishment," said Julia Toews, head of school for Basis Tucson. "Our students don't just take difficult tests and courses; they excel at them."
Contact reporter Alexis Huicochea at ahuicochea@azstarnet.com or 573-4175.
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