HUDSON - For the second year in a row, Hudson High School students and faculty have been awarded national honors and can claim the title of one of America's best high schools.

According to Sheryl Sheatzley, district communications manager, the school was one of 504 schools nationwide awarded a Silver Medal by U.S. News and World Report magazine's analysis of America's best high schools among the top 2 percent in the nation.

"We are very proud of the accomplishment of our students and faculty involved, whether directly or indirectly," Principal Jay Tyree said. 

He said the award is a reflection on the number of students who take and score well on advanced placement tests.

The methodology for the research is based on two key principles, Sheatzley said - "that a great high school must serve all students well, not just those who are bound for college."

"And it must produce measurable academic outcomes to demonstrate student success across a range of performance indicators." she added.

She said schools which make it past a three-step process are "eligible to be judged on the final step - college-readiness performance."

According to the U.S. News and World Report Web site, to be named among one of America's best, a school must:  attain performance levels that exceed statistical expectations; achieve proficiency rates on state tests for its least advantaged student groups that exceed state averages; and prepare its students for college.

Advance placement text data is also used as the benchmark for success in the final step, Sheatzley added.

Tyree said of 600 advanced placement tests given, 86 percent of the students scored a three out of a possible five.

"Anything three or higher is recognized by colleges," he said.

Sheatzley said this is the school's second silver medal. Hudson High School was among 21,069 public high schools in 48 states included in the analysis.

According to her data, 100 schools were awarded Gold Medals, and 1,321 schools across the nation received Bronze Medals.

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