Formula changes pushed SSHS off list

Late last month, Newsweek released its ranking of the best high schools in the country. And South Side High School, which is routinely named one of the best by not just Newsweek, was no where to be seen on the ranking.

It left many in the district scratching their heads. Why had South Side, which was ranked the No. 1 school on Long Island in 2013, suddenly fallen off the list all together?

After a few weeks of investigation, district officials had an answer, and it had less to do with the school and more to do with how the way the rankings are calculated has changed over recent years.

“We’ve never done anything in the school district or the high school in order to get ourselves further up on the ranking,” said Superintendent Dr. William Johnson. “We have never changed our programs. We have only reported what it is we do.”

According to John Murphy, the principal of South Side High School, using the metrics that used to go into the rankings, South Side has only improved over the last few years. In 2011, 177 Advanced Placement (AP) exams were administered. Last year, it was 207, and overall performance improved. More students have graduated with Regents and International Baccalaureate (IB) diplomas last year than in 2011.

As Murphy and Johnson explained, when the list of best high schools was originally created by Jay Mathews, a former writer for Newsweek, it was based on the number of students taking AP and IB exams.

“Essentially, it kept the formula very simple and allowed school districts to move up the rankings for things that he said were very good for school districts,” Johnson said, “and that is more kids getting involved in AP and IB courses.”

South Side High School has long tried to get as many students as possible into advanced classes. Studies have show, Johnson said, that students who take advanced classes like calculus in high school do better in college. It doesn’t necessarily matter how well they do in the class — simply taking the class helps.