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washingtonpost.com > Education > K to 12 > Challenge Index


George Mason High School IB history teacher Richard Peloquin collects papers from seniors Tania Andrade, right, and Tatiana Shevechenko. (James M. Thresher - The Washington Post)
Challenge Index 2004
About the Index: The Washington Post Challenge Index measures a public high school's effort to challenge its students. The formula is simple: Divide the number of AP, IB or other college-level tests a school gave by the number of seniors who graduated in June.

Read more about Jay Mathew's methodology and results, or click on a region below for specific results.

Washington Area's Top 10 Schools
SchoolRating
1. H-B Woodlawn5.748
2. Richard Montgomery5.029
3. Wootton4.578
4. George Mason4.098
5. Bethesda-Chevy Chase3.874
6. W.T. Woodson3.748
7. Washington-Lee3.491
8. Banneker3.432
9. Langley3.334
10. Yorktown3.286
Full Listing of Results
Live Online
Transcript: Jay Mathews answered your questions on the Challenge Index, his annual ranking of Washington area schools.
Charts
 National Rankings by School (Newsweek, June 2, 2003)
More From Mathews
 College Financial Aid for Dummies (Like Me) (washingtonpost.com, 12/21/04)
 Why Colleges Think They're Better Than AP (washingtonpost.com, 12/14/04)
 Hard Studying for a Class Ring (washingtonpost.com, 11/19/04)
 Finding the Best, Not the Best-Known, Colleges (washingtonpost.com, 11/16/04)
 Rating Teachers With AP: The Reaction (washingtonpost.com, 11/11/04)
 No SAT-isfaction (washingtonpost.com, 11/7/04)
 Six Ways to Be Happy With Your College Choice (washingtonpost.com, 10/5/04)
 The Back Fence Survey: Help Pick the Best High Schools (washingtonpost.com, 9/28/04)
 How to Find the Perfect College (or Not) for $39.95 (washingtonpost.com, 10/26/04)
About the Author
 Jay Mathews, a Washington Post education reporter, writes a weekly Class Struggle column exclusively for washingtonpost.com. He also covers school issues in a quarterly column for The Post Magazine. He can be reached via e-mail at mathewsj@washpost.com.
Challenge Index 2004
Six Surprises From Area High Schools
This year a record 61 percent of area public schools achieved 1.000 ratings on the index. But with this great growth in college-level courses has come some surprises.

Alexandria / Arlington
Woodlawn Leads in AP Participation
Arlington's H-B Woodlawn has the highest level of college-level course participation in the area, but a passing rate on the tests of only 53 percent

The District
Participation in AP, IB Up 17 Percent
The city's public schools showed the greatest increase in accelerated programs in the last three years, but remains behind most other area districts.

Fairfax
In AP-vs.-IB Debate, A Win for the Students 
George Mason and W.T. Woodson rank among the top two dozen public schools in the nation, achieving the same impressive results with two different programs.
 Transcript: Post's Mathews
 Full Report: Challenge Index '04


Southern Maryland
At Patuxent, Participation Jumps
Patuxent High went from 313 to 506 AP tests in just one year and had an index rating of 1.275, the highest in its history.

Loudoun / Fauquier
Schools Log Increases in Exams Taken
Fauquier increased from 269 to 644 tests taken this year by paying AP testing fees and requiring AP students to take exams.

Prince William
Tests Distinguish County Schools
Prince William is one of the first large districts in the country in which the number of college-level tests taken in every high school exceeds the number of graduating seniors.

Anne Arundel
AP Participation Leaps
County high schools soared 69 percent this year, a record increase for and one of the largest increases ever in the Washington area.

Howard
Schools Top 1.000 Mark
Howard increased the number of college-level tests being given in its high schools by 16 percent this year.

Montgomery
Advanced Courses on Rise
Wheaton increased its AP participation rate more than any other school in the county and achieved an index rating of 1.5744.

Prince George's
Douglass Shines in Index
Frederick Douglass High more than doubled the number of AP tests given, from 61 to 157, in the last year.

More News
For Best Schools, Shop and Compare (washingtonpost.com, Dec. 2, 2003; 10:53 AM)

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