Attleboro High on 'Challenging Schools' List

The Washington Post's recently published list of "America's Most Challenging High Schools" includes Attleboro High. The school was ranked 48th in Massachusetts and 1,947th in the nation, placing it among the top 10 percent of schools in the United States.

The Post ranked schools based on a formula that took the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests given at a school each year divided by the number of seniors who graduated that year.

"We're very proud of this," said Attleboro High principal Bill Runey in a press release issued by the school district. "Anytime that you can show that your rigor and high expectations put your school into an elite category, it validates the efforts of the students, the teachers, and the families. This also gives credibility to our philosophy that taking challenging courses is beneficial even if the qualifying score isn't attained."

Superintendent Pia Durkin said the school's inclusion on the list represents a significant milestone. 

"Seven years ago, Attleboro High School was not fully accredited and only 70 students were participating in a limited offering of Advanced Placement courses," she said. "Today, over 400 students, nearly one quarter of the entire student body, representing the full spectrum of diversity in our community, are taking and succeeding in a broad array of AP courses."

She added, "Our AP work has not only benefitted our high school students to seek deeper and wider college opportunities, but has also served as motivation and more rigorous learning in our elementary and middle schools."

Go here to see the Post's information about Attleboro High.