Out of more than 21,000 public high schools across America, US News and World Report has ranked Campolindo 203rd for the year of 2016. The ranking was largely based on a teacher-to-student ratio (1:21) and Advanced Placement course participation (74%).

US News and World Report, which unveiled this year’s rankings on April 19, also gave Campolindo a #26 ranking within the state.

According to US News, the rankings indicate “which schools are best at preparing students for college and careers.” Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News, said that “a high school education is imperative for success in both college and a career, and a school’s graduation rate is a key indicator of whether students are being effectively prepared for both paths. The 2016 Best High Schools rankings provide students and parents with data-driven information on public schools to help them make better-informed decisions about their education.”

84 of California’s public high schools received “gold medals” in the report, the highest total for any state in the country.  The gold medal award is presented to the top 500 schools in the nation.

“The students definitely contributed to the ranking – in fact, they were the primary reason we had such a strong ranking- and that’s because they take rigorous classes, they take them very seriously, and they challenge themselves to do well. So I think the ranking is really a testament to the teachers and the students,” said principal John Walker.

Campolindo earned the top spot in the rankings among the 4 AUHSD schools.  Miramonte ranked 207th, Acalanes ranked 491st, and Las Lomas ranked 812th.

“[Campolindo has] teachers who are good at their jobs and who love what they do, and that gets reflected to our kids,” said Joan Batcheller of the College and Career Center.