Niche rates Newton North and South #6 and #9 in state

by | Apr 24, 2023 | Newton | 6 comments

Niche’s ratings for Mass high schools put Newton North at #6 in the state and Newton South at #9.

The Niche web site includes the info below to describe how they come up with the ratings.

The 2023 Best Public High Schools ranking is based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Ranking factors include state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality, and high school ratings. Read more on how this ranking was calculated.

Where Niche Grades come from and how Niche calculates rankings.

6 Comments

  1. Jerry Reilly
    Jerry Reilly on April 24, 2023 at 7:56 pm

    … not that these kind of ratings are terribly useful.

  2. fignewtonville
    fignewtonville on April 24, 2023 at 11:39 pm

    These are just as silly as the USNews ones. With that said, I wonder if the same people who constantly moan about the lower rankings in USNews will feel better now?

  3. elmo
    elmo on April 26, 2023 at 12:58 pm

    Mass public schools must be in pretty bad shape for NSHS to rank in the top 10. #NotWorthTheMoney

    • Frank D
      Frank D on April 26, 2023 at 1:24 pm

      just like everything on the internet, anyone can find some study that agrees with their opinion.

      For me, shockingly, i think niche is less valuable because it is survey based, and not purely data based.

  4. Mike Striar
    Mike Striar on April 26, 2023 at 6:38 pm

    My youngest child graduated Newton schools nearly 10 years ago. So I have little direct knowledge of the school system today. But I seldom hear or read much beyond a lot of negative comments I see on V14. Which is why I’m surprised to see [and a little suspect of] these Niche rankings. I do think it’s important to keep in mind that unlike most communities, a large percentage of Newton students are beneficiaries of educational advantages that have little to do with the school system.

    I can state with certainty that my three children did not receive the same quality of education from Newton’s public schools in the 2000s that I received in the 1970s. The teachers are of equal quality, maybe higher. But the breadth of educational offerings is lacking, particularly in the Arts and STEM.

    In part, the long decline in educational offerings has been driven by standardization, which I think has been a horrible thing for Newton. It’s long been my opinion that Newton should craft its own unique curriculum. Mostly though, I think it’s the lack of a clear mission that keeps Newton schools being perennial underachievers.

    In my opinion, Newton could really use a mayor who articulates a clear goal and game plan for making this city’s public school system the best in America. Anyone contemplating running for mayor should make that their goal. Newton has tremendous advantages that make the top spot nationally an achievable goal. The only thing I see lacking is the political leadership to achieve it.

  5. Jet Striar
    Jet Striar on April 26, 2023 at 11:39 pm

    I’m unfamiliar with Niche or how they conduct their rankings, but as a former graduate of Newton Public Schools, and a current homeowner in Newton I don’t think #6 and #9 is nearly good enough. When you take into account the population, resources, education, and wealth of our city, there’s no reason our high schools should not both be in the top 5 of these rankings. The teachers are great, but the city could do even more to incentivize bringing in the very best and letting them teach without being hamstrung by what the state government deems to be the best curriculum.