By Khalida Sarwari
The Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District was named one of the best school districts in America by Niche.com.
Niche.com is a Pittsburgh-based consumer website that calculates its rankings based on factors that include data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and parents. The district came in at No. 24, a rank that district Superintendent Bob Mistele deemed “gratifying.”
The district was named second best in California. The only other California school district in the top 50 was Palo Alto Unified, which came in at No. 23 overall. The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District came in at No. 59 overall and third in the state. Only a couple of other California school districts made the top 100; both are in Southern California.
“Our strategic plan goals are focused on supporting all students and include—in addition to academic excellence—a commitment to student wellness, balance and belonging,” Mistele said. “The Niche rankings reflect that in their scores around academics, culture and diversity and surveys that measure overall satisfaction.”
The group’s website notes that the district has 3,302 students with a student-teacher ratio of 20-1. According to state test scores the website analyzed, 71 percent of students are at least proficient in math and 82 percent in reading.
But, it’s not just in academia where the district’s students excel, Mistele noted.
“Our students are global citizens and contributors to their school community and beyond,” he said. “We see athletes, musicians, scientists, writers, innovators and leaders across our campuses.”
Continued Mistele, “the recognition of achievements across a spectrum of areas benefits our students by reminding everyone that they are valued—not just for academics, but for who they are and their many contributions in the classroom and beyond.”
The Niche.com report card gave the district top marks for for academics, teachers, clubs and activities, administration, food, college prep, sports, and resources and facilities. The district garnered a Grade B for diversity, health and safety.
To see the complete list, visit niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts.
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