West Hartford High Schools Among State’s Top 20 In Latest U.S. News Ranking
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Conard and Hall high school signs. Photo credit: Ronni Newton
West Hartford high schools were ranked among the top schools in Connecticut, and in the top 3% nationally in the 2025 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 2025 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 10th in the state for 2025-26, while Conard is 16th among the 203 public high schools ranked in Connecticut. Last year, Hall and Conard were No. 6 and No. 10 respectively. The current rankings are based on data from the 2022-2023 school year.
Nationally for 2025-26, Hall is ranked No. 457 while Conard is No. 702 – out of nearly 18,000 schools ranked among the 25,000 surveyed by U.S. News & World Report in the most recent analysis.
“I am so proud to recognize both Hall and Conard who are once again highlighted as among the highest performing schools in the country (top 3% nationally) as ranked by the U.S. News & World Report,” West Hartford Superintendent of Schools Paul Vicinus told We-Ha.com on Tuesday. “Our high schools continue to be ranked among the top 5-10% within the state earning exceptional marks among a variety of college readiness indicators.”
The success of the town’s public schools extends beyond just the rating of the high schools. “The accomplishments and recognition of our high schools are shared among all of our elementary and middle school programs who provide the foundation for the incredible success that our graduates consistently achieve,” Vicinus said. “These recognitions are a reflection of the incredible cadre of teachers and support staff in our schools and the dedication and vision of our leadership team.”
And, Vicinus added, “U.S. News & World Report recently named West Hartford as 19th on the ‘Best Places to Live’ list for 2025-26; the best community within Connecticut.
Charter and magnet schools are included in the rankings of public schools and for 2025-26 Connecticut IB Academy in East Hartford is again the No. 1 school in the state. Following were several Fairfield County schools – New Canaan High School, Weston High School, Darien High School, and Wilton High School – ranked second through fifth, and Staples High School in Westport was sixth.
Marine Sciences Magnet High School of Southeastern was No. 7, followed by Lyme-Old Lyme High School (No. 8), Greenwich High School (No. 9) – and Hall at No. 10 was the top traditional public high school in Hartford County.
Rounding out the top 20 in the state were Farmington High School (No. 11), Ridgefield High School (No. 12), Joel Barlow High School (No. 13), Simbury High School (No. 14), Avon High School (No. 15), Conard High School (No. 16), East Lyme High School (No. 17), Granby Memorial High School (No. 18), Fairfield Ludlowe High School (No. 19), and Stonington High School (No. 20).
Hall High School 2025-26 U.S. News scorecard
As was the case with the 2024 rankings, each school was assigned a numerical score, and any changes to the methodology were very small, U.S. News stated. This year’s score was based on the number of students who took at least on Advanced Placement (AP) exam, the number of students who passed at least one AP exam, college curriculum breadth, and graduation rate. Mathematics and reading proficiency on state assessments were also factors in the score, along with performance of underserved students.
Both Hall and Conard and received A-plus level grades.
Hall received a 97.45 on the most recent scorecard, with an AP exam participation rate of 71%, and 53% of students receiving a passing grade of at least 3. Hall is ranked 14th among all Connecticut high schools on the U.S. News “College Readiness” index, “College Curriculum Breadth” index, and in the top on both proficiency and performance on state assessments.
Specific details regarding Hall’s ranking can be found here.
Conard High School 2025-26 U.S. News scorecard
Conard’s score was 96.08 for 2025-26. At Conard, 75% of students took at least one AP exam, and 59% received a grade of at least 3 or higher on one AP exam. The school ranks eighth in the state among all high schools on the U.S. News “College Readiness” index and fourth statewide on the “College Curriculum Breadth” index.
Hall has a 95% graduation rate while Conard’s rate is 92%.
According to data used by U.S. News & World Report for the most recent ranking, the total minority enrollment at Hall is 43.6%, and 23% of students are considered economically disadvantaged. At Conard, the report indicated the total minority enrollment is 47.9%, and 31% of students are considered economically disadvantaged.
“The 2025-2026 Best High Schools national rankings identify top public schools based on six key performance indicators, including student achievement on state-required assessments, strong graduation rates, and college readiness measures. Schools are evaluated on how effectively they serve all students, including underserved populations, with college readiness specifically measured through student participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams. The rankings consider curriculum breadth and overall student outcomes as well. U.S. News worked with RTI International, a global research firm, to implement the comprehensive ranking methodology, using the most current data from the 2022-2023 school year,” U.S. News stated.
U.S. News ranked nearly 18,000 public high schools out of more than 24,000 reviewed. Among other criteria, these public high schools had a 12th grade enrollment of 15 students or greater.
“Students and families need data to help them make one of the most important decisions of their academic journey. Our Best High Schools rankings provide the insights to help them identify schools that will prepare students for college success,” LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News, said in a news release accompanying the rankings. “Access to information isn’t just helpful – it’s essential for planning a student’s future.”
This year the overall top spot nationally was claimed by BASIS Tuscon North, a BASIS Charter Schools Inc. school located in Tucson, AZ, that serves students in grades 5 through 12.
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