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Four LI public schools make magazine's top 100

BY JOIE TYRRELL | joie.tyrrell@newsday.com

November 30, 2007

Four Long Island public high schools were named in the top 100 in the nation in U.S. News & World Report's first such ranking, magazine officials announced Thursday.

Making the grade were the high schools of Great Neck South at No. 43, Jericho at No. 58, Cold Spring Harbor at No. 71 and Manhasset at No. 78.

Barbara Berkowitz, president of the Great Neck Board of Education, was pleased to hear the news.

"As always we are so proud of the accomplishments of our students," she said.

More than 18,500 high schools in 40 states were analyzed with rankings based on achievement levels in reading and math on state tests. Evaluators also looked at proficiency rates on state tests for the school's most disadvantaged students. They also considered if the high schools provided students with a challenging college-ready curriculum.

But some educators on Long Island questioned whether the public schools should be ranked with other city schools that require admissions testing.

"In reality, we would all be in the top 10 or top 20 if we were compared fairly to school districts that educate all kids," said Jericho superintendent Henry L. Grishman.

Brian Kelly, editor of U.S. News & World Report, said the list did evaluate the entire student body, "factoring in poverty and economic status, including disadvantaged students, average students, and college-bound students to measure how well the school served their specific body."