Newsweek: Ann Arbor Huron, Chelsea, Saline among 'America's best' high schools

Three Washtenaw County districts — Ann Arbor Huron, Chelsea and Saline — made the top 700. Pioneer High School was snubbed from the list this year, although it has made the cut in the past. Saline has also been ranked among the top 1,000 high schools in the past.

Newsweek compared test scores and education quality at more than 2,300 schools by assessing the following data from the 2010-11 academic year:

• Four-year, on-time graduation rate (worth 25 percent toward overall ranking)
• Percent of 2011 grads accepted into college (25 percent)
• Advance placement/International Baccalaureate/American Institute for Creative Education tests per student (25 percent)
• Average SAT or ACT score (10 percent)
• Average AP/IB/AICE exam score (10 percent)
• AP/IB/AICE courses offered per student (5 percent)

Huron was ranked 576th in the nation and 14th in the state, out of 39 Michigan schools that qualified. Immediately following Huron in the state list was Chelsea High School, ranked 15th in the state and 593rd in the U.S.

Saline High School came it at No. 657 in the U.S. and 21st in the state.

The schools' scores were comparable. Both Huron and Saline had graduation rates of 94 percent, while Chelsea’s was 93. Saline outscored the other two in the ACT, with an average of 24.7. Huron students scored just slightly lower at a 24 average. Chelsea students had a 23.7 average.

Three districts in the Grand Rapids area and three in West Bloomfield also made the list, as well as high schools in Farmington, Novi, Walled Lake and Canton.

The highest ranking high school in Michigan was Bloomfield's International Academy at 49th.

View Newsweek's complete list here.

Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.