What are the best public high schools in Northeast Florida? These 10 lead the pack.
Students at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts combine elements of the school's history and modern dance themes in this 2021 production of "DA Hands."
From state-issued school grades to Duval County’s dilemma about which schools to close, the warm months put some heat on school administrators and ordinary parents trying to be sure their kids get quality educations.
U.S. News & World Report, masters of respected rankings on subjects from colleges to hospitals, uses a 100-point scoring system to identify standout schools in public education systems. A counterpart list for elementary schools will probably change this fall, but the magazine's high school rankings shouldn’t change until well into 2025.
These were 2024’s top 10 scorers among Northeast Florida high schools.
Stanton College Preparatory School
Duval County’s premier academic magnet, located at 1149 W. 13th St. in Jacksonville, had 99.69 points on a scoring system that combined graduation rates, proficiency in math, reading and science and the prevalence of kids taking (and passing) Advanced Placement exams.
Paxon School for Advanced Studies
The magnet at 3239 Norman E. Thagard Blvd. in Jacksonville scored 98.93 on the U.S. News index. The 99% graduation rate and 100% participation in AP exams helped.
Darnell-Cookman Middle/High School
Also known as the Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts, the grades 6-12 magnet at 1701 N. Davis St. in Jacksonville scored 98.87 points for its high school offerings.
Ponte Vedra High School
The school at 460 Davis Park Road in Ponte Vedra Beach scored 98.13 points, the highest in St. Johns County and the top for a traditional public school in Northeast Florida.
Douglas Anderson School of the Arts
The arts magnet at 2445 San Diego Road in Jacksonville scored 98.05 points and had a 100% graduation rate. While the magnet’s focus fosters the humanities, U.S. News labeled 93% of Douglas Anderson students as proficient in science.
Samuel W. Wolfson High School
This Duval magnet at 7000 Powers Ave. in Jacksonville, which U.S. News scored at 97.51 points, promotes itself online as helping “find the perfect balance between academics and life-time pursuits.” The school includes an international baccalaureate degree program, as do Stanton, Paxon and Terry Parker High School.
Creekside High School
This school at 100 Knights Lane in fast-growing northwest St. Johns County includes specialized career academies in fields including engineering and emerging technology. Its U.S. News score was 96.31 points, the second highest in its county.
Allen D. Nease High School
A fixture in northeast St. Johns County since the early 1980s, this traditional school at 10550 Ray Road in Ponte Vedra Beach had a 95% graduation rate and received 94.74 points on the U.S. News scoresheet. It includes academies in engineering, communications, hospitality and Navy JROTC, as well as international baccalaureate.
Fleming Island High School
Clay County’s top-ranked high school scored 93.06 on the U.S. News rating. Just over 20 years after Fleming Island High opened, the school at 2233 Village Square Parkway had a 98% graduation rate.
