Eleven Miami-Dade County public high schools are ranked among the top 150 schools in the country, according to the annual U.S. News & World Report’s 2026-2027 Best High Schools recently released.
U.S. News & World Report evaluated about 27,000 eligible public high schools nationwide and ranked nearly 18,000 of them.
The rankings are based on six performance measures, including student achievement on state-required assessments, graduation rates and college readiness.
U.S. News also considers participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams, curriculum breadth and overall student outcomes, as well as how each school provides for underserved students.
“(These Miami-Dade County Public Schools represent) the absolute pinnacle of secondary education in Florida and rank among the top 1% of public high schools across the United States,” School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas told Islander News. “Their performance reflects exceptional mastery of core academic subjects, high graduation rates, and outstanding college readiness, with every school demonstrating strong student outcomes on standardized benchmarks.”
The Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST@FIU), at FIU’s Biscayne Bay Campus in North Miami, ranked No. 2 in Florida and No. 31 nationally. MAST Academy on Virginia Key ranked No. 14 in Florida and No. 111 nationally.
A total of 14 Miami-Dade schools were among the state’s top 25.
Rojas noted that one defining characteristic of the Miami-Dade schools is their strong emphasis on advanced college-preparatory coursework.
“Ranking high in this methodology requires high student participation and passing rates on Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations across a broad range of subjects,” she said. “Furthermore, the ranking model evaluates educational equity by assessing how well schools support underserved student populations, indicating that these institutions effectively close achievement gaps and deliver high-quality instruction across diverse student demographics.”
Rojas also pointed to the prominent role of specialized magnet programs, collegiate academies and dedicated STEM or arts institutions across the state, which is reflected in the rankings, especially at MAST and Jose Marti 6-12 Academy, for example.
“(They) illustrate how focused academic pathways and selective admissions foster world-class educational environments,” she said. “Geographically, Miami-Dade County and surrounding South Florida districts show an overwhelming representation, demonstrating a strong regional concentration of high-performing public choices and specialized academic options.
“Also, strong parental and community partnerships play a vital role in enhancing student outcomes.”
Note: School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas will hold a town hall meeting for MAST Academy and Key Biscayne K-8 Center on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at MAST Academy, 3979 Rickenbacker Causeway.
School exhibitions begin at 5:30 p.m.; the meeting runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
The nation’s overall top three schools: 1. Central Magnet School. Murfreesboro, Tenn.; 2. Signature School. Evansville, Ind.; 3. Julia R. Masterman Secondary School. Philadelphia.
A look at the top 25 Florida schools (and their national ranking):
No. 1 – Pine View School, Osprey — No. 13 nationally
No. 2 – Marine Academy of Science and Technology, North Miami — No. 31 nationally
No. 3 – Neocity Academy, Kissimmee — No. 35 nationally
No. 4 – Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School, Miami — No. 39 nationally
No. 5 – West Shore Junior/Senior High School, Melbourne — No. 47 nationally
No. 6 – Jose Marti Mast 6-12 Academy, Hialeah — No. 55 nationally
No. 7 – Stanton College Preparatory School, Jacksonville — No. 63 nationally
No. 8 – Suncoast Community High School, Riviera Beach — No. 81 nationally
No. 9 – I Preparatory Academy, Miami — No. 86 nationally
No. 10 – Terra Environmental Research Institute, Miami — No. 87 nationally
No. 11 – Millennium 6-12 Collegiate Academy — No. 93 nationally
No. 12 – Edgewood Jr/Sr High School, Merritt Island — No. 94 nationally
No. 13 – Design and Architecture Senior High School, Miami — No. 96 nationally
No. 14 – MAST Academy, Key Biscayne — No. 111 nationally
No. 15 – Alexander W. Dreyfoos Junior School of the Arts, West Palm Beach — No. 125 nationally
No. 16 – International Studies Charter High School, Miami — No. 130 nationally
No. 17 – Magnet Innovation Center, Inlet Beach — No. 136 nationally
No. 18 – International Studies Preparatory Academy, Coral Gables — No. 144 nationally
No. 19 – Doral Performing Arts and Entertainment Academy, Doral — No. 149 nationally
No. 20 – Mater Performing Arts and Entertainment Academy, Hialeah Gardens — No. 150 nationally
No. 21 – Young Women’s Preparatory Academy, Miami — No. 173 nationally
No. 22 – Orlando Science Middle High Charter, Orlando — No. 184 nationally
No. 23 – New World School of the Arts, Miami — No. 189 nationally
No. 24 – Miami Arts Studio, Miami — No. 225 nationally
No. 25 – Paxon School/Advanced Studies, Jacksonville — No. 244 nationally