The honors keep coming for Model Laboratory High School.
According to the research site Niche, Model Lab is the third best public high school in Kentucky, behind only DuPont Manual High School in Louisville and Highlands High School in Fort Thomas. Last fall, Newsweek magazine ranked Model, located on the campus of Eastern Kentucky University, among the top 1 percent of the nation’s public high schools.
Model, with 225 students in grades 9-12, scored particularly high in academics, educational outcomes, faculty, administration/policies and health/safety. For a complete list of the top Kentucky schools, visit https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-high-schools/best-overall/s/kentucky.
Ninety-five percent of Model’s 2015 graduates are college bound, with the remainder career bound, including one entering the Marines. The school’s most recent graduating class has received approximately $1.1 million in scholarships.
According to the site, 75 percent of the Model Lab students are, based on state standards, considered proficient in math and/or reading, well above the state average.
Model Lab Interim Director Ann Burns cited academic rigor and collaboration with EKU to meet the needs of students among the school’s biggest strengths. “That relationship with the University gives students the freedom of choice to explore multiple academic tracks. Students value the freedom they receive as a part of the University setting.”
Established more than a century ago on the Eastern campus, Model Laboratory School educates students from Pre-K through 12th grade while providing field experiences for EKU students and demonstrating evidence-based strategies. It is the Commonwealth’s only remaining laboratory school.
“We continue to work to make Model the finest school possible for our students, faculty and community,” Burns said.
To arrive at its rankings, Niche blends student and parent reviews with hard data to compare more than 100,000 public and private schools and districts.
“A high ranking indicates that the school is an exceptional academic institution with a diverse set of high-achieving students who rate their experience very highly,” according to Niche.