U.S. News and World Report magazine has ranked International Community School (ICS), a Lake Washington School District school in Kirkland, number 29 out of the top 100 high schools in the nation in their annual America’s Best High Schools rating and gave the school a gold ranking. Redmond High School (RHS) received a silver ranking.

U.S. News and World Report uses a three-step process that analyzes:

1) How schools are educating all of their students.

2) How schools are educating their minority and disadvantaged students.

3) And college-bound students at each school, based on student scores on statewide tests, Advanced Placement (AP) tests and International Baccalaureate (IB) tests, by creating a College Readiness Index (equal to the school’s AP or IB participation rate divided by the total number of 12th grade students in the school and how well they performed on these exams).

ICS had a College Readiness Index of 89.3 and RHS had a score of 42.6.

This is the third year that ICS has been recognized in the top 100 schools. Last year, it was ranked as number 24. In 2007, it was ranked 17 and was the highest-rated school in the state of Washington. This is the second year that RHS has received a silver rating.

“We are so proud to once again be recognized with a silver ranking,” said RHS principal Jane Todd. “This recognition helps to support our students and staff in their efforts to reach high standards every day.”

ICS was one of only four schools to receive a gold ranking in Washington state. RHS was one of only nine schools in King County to receive a silver ranking and one of only 17 in the state.