Peninsula, PV High Schools Earn Gold

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School and Palos Verdes High School are among the best high schools in the country, according to rankings released Tuesday. 

With a national ranking of 156 and a state ranking of 24, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School was one of 500 schools nationwide awarded a gold medal by U.S. News and World Report in its 2013 list of the nation's best public high schools. Palos Verdes High School, which also earned a gold medal, had a national ranking of 269 and a state ranking of 43.

• See the full 2013 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings
• View photos of the top 10 best public high schools. 
• Learn how U.S. News calculated the Best High Schools rankings.

"We are proud that our high schools continue to be recognized for their students' outstanding academic achievements," said Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District Superintendent Walker Williams in a statement. "We also applaud the diligence and commitment of our teachers, staff and community as we continue to help all our students achieve success in the classroom."

Rancho Del Mar High School—the PVPUSD continuation school—was not ranked.

The rankings were calculated by looking at student performance on standardized tests, evaluating how well schools educated black, Hispanic and poor students, and by how effectively they prepared graduates for college. 

The U.S. News rankings were released shortly after those from the Washington Post. Both Palos Verdes Peninsula and Palos Verdes high schools scored well in the Post's Challenge ranking.

Related:

• PV Schools Get Another Nod From National Media
• Washington Post Recognizes Peninsula High
• PV High Added to Washington Post List