Suncoast, Dreyfoos ranked among best schools in U.S.

Annual list of top 2,000 high schools names 12 in Palm Beach County.

Suncoast High School and Dreyfoos School of the Arts have been named two of the nation’s top 100 high schools in a new ranking by U.S. News and World Report.

The magazine ranked Suncoast 53rd in the nation and Dreyfoos 78th. The schools took ninth and 10th place in Florida, respectively.

Suncoast and Dreyfoos, two selective, application-only public schools, are regular presences on the closely watched annual ranking but tend to battle for the county’s top billing. In 2015, Dreyfoos edged out Suncoast to win 68th place nationally.

Overall, 12 Palm Beach County schools made it into U.S. News’ list of the nation’s top 2,000 high schools. Of the 12, 10 are district schools and two — G-Star School of the Arts and Inlet Grove High — are charter schools, which are For a list of Palm Beach County high schools and their rankings, head to the “Extra Credit” blog at publicly funded but privately operated.

The national magazine says its annual rankings weigh schools’ graduation rates and how their students perform on state reading and math exams, with adjustments made for the percentage of disadvantaged students each school serves. This year, the magazine gave greater weight to the extent to which schools offer students college-level courses and exams.

The nation’s best high school? According to U.S. News, it’s BASIS Scottsdale, a charter school in Arizona.

Florida’s best high school? The magazine says it’s Pine View School, a school for gifted students in Sarasota County.