Hume-Fogg and MLK are the Best High Schools in Tennessee; Middle College also honored

Three Metro schools earn medals from “U.S. News and World Report”

Fresh off the announcement that they were the two most academically challenging high schools in Tennessee, Hume-Fogg Magnet High School and Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet High School (MLK) have yet another national ranking to be proud of.

In its annual ranking of America’s best high schools, “U.S. News and World Report” has named Hume-Fogg as number one in the state with MLK close behind at number two. Both schools also earned gold medals from the magazine. If this sounds familiar, it’s because both schools topped last year’s list, as well as a similar list from “Newsweek” last May.

New to the list this year is MNPS Middle College High School, which is unranked but given the title of “Recognized Nationally” and a bronze medal.

“It’s not surprising that the most challenging schools in Tennessee, Hume-Fogg and MLK, would also be named the best,” said Director of Schools Dr. Jesse Register. “We’re particularly pleased to see Middle College honored, as the students and faculty there work very hard in a real college environment. It’s not unusual for students there to graduate with associate’s degrees and high school diplomas at the same time, so their bronze medal is well earned.”

Middle College High School is located in the Nashville State Community College campus, and students there take both college and high school courses every school day. It is open to any student in grades 10-12 who is ready for the rigors of college course work.

“Our students aren’t just preparing to be college-ready. It’s an expectation that our faculty have for all Middle College students,” said Rod Manuel, principal of Middle College High School. “We are striving to bridge the gap between secondary and higher education. They are expected to be college-ready from day one. We are a small and unique school in a unique environment, so this kind of recognition means a lot to all of us. Our students and faculty are dedicated to their work and to each other.”

Hume-Fogg and MLK also made the national “Best” list, coming in at numbers 54 and 74, respectively. With more than 31,000 high schools considered for the list, it is a big honor to be included, not to mention making the top 100. Adding to the honor, Hume-Fogg is listed as the 23^rd best magnet school in the country, with MLK coming in 30^th on the same list.

The ranking is based on overall student performance and minority and low-income student performance as compared to the state averages. Writers also looked at college readiness as measured by Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate test data.