Several magazines and online publications have created their own educational ranking systems. U.S. News & World Report is among those publications.

Below is a chart showing data from the Class of 2020, which is the basis for this year’s U.S. News & World Report rankings. Bexley High School is ranked fourth in the state and the highest in central Ohio. Upper Arlington High School is ranked 27th in the state and in the top 6 in central Ohio. 

While it might seem that there would be a gap in performance between the two schools, the data tells a different story. 

Upper Arlington’s graduating, reading and ACT composite scores are identical or nearly identical to Bexley’s, and math proficiency is a few points higher.  Based upon this information the primary difference between the rankings for the two schools is seen in participation in Advanced Placement exams.

Upper Arlington Schools offers both Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses as part of the academic program at Upper Arlington High School, expanding the opportunities for students to pursue college-level coursework while still in high school. The district is #1 in the state for the percentage of AP and IB course enrollments. However, other schools may only offer Advanced Placement options. 

Upper Arlington Schools values choice for students and families by offering both AP and IB classes. The district also allows students to take AP courses without having to take the AP exam. During the 2021-2022 school year, the Upper Arlington Board of Education began covering the costs of AP and IB exams, which may have an impact on the district’s AP exam participation rate in future years.