West Hartford high schools were ranked among the top schools in Connecticut, and in the top 3% nationally in the 2026 U.S. News & World Report ranking of the country’s public high schools.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford’s two public high schools – Hall High School and Conard High School – continue their legacy of earning top rankings in the state as well as nationally in the U.S. News & World Report 2026 list of the nation’s best high schools released Tuesday.

The rankings for Conard and Hall are traditionally similar, and this year is no exception. Hall is ranked eighth in the state for 2026-27, while Conard is 13th among the 217 public high schools ranked in Connecticut. Last year, Hall and Conard were No. 10 and No. 16 respectively. The current rankings are based on data from the 2023-2024 school year.

Nationally for 2026-27, Hall is ranked No. 368 while Conard is No. 669 – out of nearly 18,000 schools ranked among the 27,000 surveyed by U.S. News & World Report in the most recent analysis.

“As superintendent, I am excited to see both Conard and Hall High Schools recognized in the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings. This recognition represents a shared accomplishment across all sixteen of our schools, each of which contributes to the strong foundation and exceptional educational opportunities our students experience from prekindergarten through graduation,” West Hartford Superintendent of Schools Paul Vicinus told We-Ha.com on Tuesday.

“Conard and Hall continue to shine among Connecticut’s public high schools, ranking 13th and eighth in the state, respectively, and among the top-performing public high schools nationally. While we are proud of these rankings, we are even more proud of what they represent: the collective efforts of our students and the educators and staff who support them throughout their educational journey,” added Vicinus.

“This recognition follows additional honors for both school communities, including Conard being named the 2026 Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) High School of the Year and Hall Principal Sarah Isaacs being named the 2026 CAS Outstanding First-Year Principal,” said Vicinus.

“West Hartford has much to celebrate in the educational opportunities provided to students throughout the PK–12 progression. These accomplishments reflect the dedicated efforts of our teachers, paraeducators, instructional leaders, and every staff member who contributes each day in service of Every Child, Every Day,” Vicinus said.

Charter and magnet schools are included in the rankings of public schools and for 2026-27 Connecticut IB Academy in East Hartford is again the No. 1 school in the state. Following were several Fairfield County schools – Greenwich High School, Weston High School, Darien High School, and Staples High School (Westport) – ranked second through fifth. New Canaan High School was sixth and Wilton High School was seventh, followed by Hall in eighth place as the top public high school in Hartford County. Ridgefield High School and Simsbury High School were Nos. 9 and 10.

Rounding out the top 15 in the state were Farmington High School (No. 11), Joel Barlow High School (No. 12), Conard High School (No. 13), Marine Sciences Magnet High School of Southeastern (No. 14), and South Windsor High School (No. 15).

As in the past, each school was assigned a numerical score.

Hall High School 2026-27 U.S. News scorecard

This year’s score was based on the number of students who took at least one Advanced Placement (AP) exam, the number of students who passed at least one AP exam, and graduation rate. Mathematics and reading proficiency on state assessments were also factors in the score, along with performance of underserved students. Schools are ranked on their performance on state-required tests, graduation and how well they prepare students for college.

Both Hall and Conard and received A-plus level grades.

Hall received a 97.95 on the most recent scorecard, with an AP exam participation rate of 72%, and 62% of students receiving a passing grade of at least 3. Hall is ranked sixth among all Connecticut high schools on the U.S. News “College Curriculum Breadth” index as well as for performance on state assessments, and 10th on the “College Readiness” index.

Specific details regarding Hall’s ranking can be found here.

Conard High School 2026-27 U.S. News scorecard

Conard’s score was 96.27 for 2026-27. At Conard, 72% of students took at least one AP exam, and 58% received a grade of at least 3 or higher on one AP exam. The school ranks ninth in the state among all high schools on the U.S. News “College Curriculum Breadth” index, 13th in the state on the “College Readiness” index, and ranked 15th in the state for performance on state assessments.