Schools

Land O' Lakes High School Ranks Among The Country's Best

The school was ranked 49th in the state and 255th in the nation in the Washington Post's High School Challenge.

Land O’ Lakes High School has yet again ranked among the top schools in the country when it comes to test scores, graduation rate and academic excellence.

It ranked 49th in the state and 255th in the country on this year’s Washington Post High School Challenge. The challenge was previously sponsored by Newsweek Magazine, but transitioned to the Post recently.

"We rate schools based on their rate of participation in college level tests," wrote Jay Mathews, Washington Post columnist and the creator of the challenge index, in an email. "This has proven to be the best possible way to quantify which high schools are trying hardest to raise achievement and ready kids for college."

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This year’s ranking for Land O' Lakes is the highest the school has ever received, said Principal Ric Mellin. The highest previous rank was 341st in the nation, logged in 2006.

So, what makes this year different?

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Mellin credits the school’s success to its teachers, students, families, the community and “everything coming together at the school.”

“(We have) a really amazing group of kids,” he said.

With International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement programs both available at the school, Mellin said students at Land O’ Lakes are inclined to reach for high achievements.

The students, he said, are the ones that request such rigorous coursework.

“What’s in the headlines right now are furloughs, layoffs and budgets,” he said. The negatives tend to catch people’s attention. “On the flipside, there are so many things going right.”

Land O’ Lakes High School, he added, has a 35-year tradition of educational excellence. This year it graduated it’s largest IB class of 65 students.

Pasco County School Superintendent Heather Fiorentino isn’t surprised by the news.

“Great things happen each and every day in our schools,” she wrote in an email. “I am honored that the Washington Post has recognized Land O’ Lakes High School for the outstanding contributions they make in our community and the transformational work that is occurring in their school to ensure that all students reach their highest potential.“

Here is a look at Land O’ Lakes High School’s previous rankings in the challenge:

  • 2008 – 483
  • 2007 – 488
  • 2006 – 341

Mellin pointed out that many of the school's ranked this year are private institutions and magnet schools. Land O' Lakes is neither.

For more information about the High School Challenge, visit the Washington Post online at washingtonpost.com.

Editor's note: Land O' Lakes High School ranked 255th in the nation. A previous version of this article said otherwise.

This article was updated at 5:15 p.m., June 1, to include information from Washington Post columnist Jay Mathews.


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