Sixteen schools in the DC/MD/VA area made the Top 100 list of the 2007 Washington Post Challenge Index, but none were from Loudoun County. The index measures a public high school's effort to challenge its students. The rating is not a measurement of the overall quality of the school, but illuminates one factor that many educators consider important.

According the Washington Post, "the formula is simple":

"Divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in June. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted. Magnet or charter schools with SAT combined verbal and math averages higher than 1300, or ACT average scores above 27, are not included, since they do not have enough average students who need a challenge."

All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000 and are in the top 5 percent of public schools measured this way. If you have 2006 data showing that your school should be on this list, please contact Jay Mathews at challenge@washpost.com. You may be able to expand the list to include your school.

Further Reading:

FAQ's about the Challenge Index by The Washington Post

For more information about Loudoun County, Virignia, check out Loudoun Stats.