Loris, Myrtle Beach high schools rank among best

U.S. News & World Report magazine has released its rankings of American high schools, and two Horry County sites earned spots on the list.
Loris High School and Myrtle Beach High School each received a bronze ranking for their achievement on standardized reading and math tests; participation and performance in Advanced Placement courses (if the schools offer them or have enough students participating).
"It was definitely an awesome surprise for our faculty and students," said Loris High Principal Trevor Strawderman. "It was an early Christmas gift."
The magazine regularly rates U.S. colleges and universities but has never had a high school ranking until now because there wasn't enough comparable data. Standardized tests implemented through the federal No Child Left Behind Act and increased participation in AP courses has provided a database, said Horry County Schools in a news release.
The rankings will appear in the Dec. 10 print edition of the magazine, but also can be found on its Web site at www.usnews.com/sections/education/high-schools.
In South Carolina, 18 schools earned mentions, including Charleston County's Academic Magnet High School, which is ranked No. 27 on the gold list of the country's top 100 high schools.
Schools that don't offer AP courses or have enough participation appear on the silver and bronze ranking lists.
Two years ago, it had a graduation rate of 60 percent, and now that rate has reached 80 percent. That's one of the highest in the state among comparable schools, he said. More than 75 percent of the 912 students at Loris High are receiving free or subsidized lunches, which indicates their families' poverty levels. About 48 percent of Myrtle Beach High's student population is receiving free or reduced-price lunches.
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