The 2006 Local Challenge 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 Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college level tests a school gave in one year by the number of seniors who graduated. Tests taken by all students, not just seniors, are counted. Washington-area magnet schools with SAT combined reading and math averages higher than 1300, the highest non-magnet school average in the country, are not included, since they do not have enough average students who need a challenge.
The rating is not a measurement of the overall quality of the school but illuminates one factor that many educators consider important.
When compared with schools across the country, Washington-area schools are overall among the most encouraging of AP and IB testing. In the list below, any school with a rating of 1.000 or above is in the top 5 percent of all U.S. high schools in encouraging students to take AP or IB tests. Also listed is the name of the school district and the percentage of a school's students whose family incomes are low enough to qualify for federally subsidized lunches and who also apply for that program. The number of subsidized-lunch applicants is a rough indicator of socioeconomic factors that may affect student interest in college-level courses.
In parenthesis after each school's name is the school's Equity and Excellence rate, the percentage of all seniors, including those not in AP, calculated by the College Board to have had at least one score of 3 or above on the 5-point test in high school. This statistic is new, and the College Board was not able to provide it to all schools. An IB or combined AP and IB version of that rating was calculated for some IB schools by school district officials. The average AP Equity and Excellence rate for all U.S. schools is 14.8 percent.
• 2006 Challenge Index: Complete Coverage
| Rank | School (Equity & Excellence) | District | % Lunch Subsidy | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | H-B Woodlawn (69%) | Arlington | 13% | 5.948 |
| 2. | Richard Montgomery* (59.4%) | Montgomery | 16% | 4.960 |
| 3. | Clarke County* (74%) | Clarke | 13% | 4.730 |
| 4. | Washington-Lee* (52.2%) | Arlington | 37% | 4.723 |
| 5. | Wootton** (69.5%) | Montgomery | 5% | 4.453 |
| 6. | Bethesda-Chevy Chase* (64.2%) | Montgomery | 8% | 4.322 |
| 7. | Yorktown (62.3%) | Arlington | 17% | 4.127 |
| 8. | George Mason* (71%) | Falls Church | 7% | 4.060 |
| 9. | W.T. Woodson (57.6%) | Fairfax | 6% | 3.941 |
| 10. | Langley (72%) | Fairfax | 1% | 3.716 |
| 11. | Whitman (70.2%) | Montgomery | 2% | 3.687 |
| 12. | McLean (67%) | Fairfax | 6% | 3.605 |
| 13. | Banneker* | D.C. | 39% | 3.494 |
| 14. | Lake Braddock (53.6%) | Fairfax | 10% | 3.397 |
| 15. | Churchill (70.4%) | Montgomery | 3% | 3.382 |
| 16. | Oakton (54.2%) | Fairfax | 9% | 3.328 |
| 17. | Centreville (48.5%) | Fairfax | 15% | 3.264 |
| 18. | Walter Johnson (60.6%) | Montgomery | 6% | 3.166 |
| 19. | Chantilly (47.6%) | Fairfax | 11% | 3.070 |
| 20. | Madison (50.4%) | Fairfax | 5% | 2.969 |
| 21. | Centennial (53.3%) | Howard | 3% | 2.907 |
| 22. | Fairfax (39.3%) | Fairfax | 16% | 2.888 |
| 23. | Robinson* (55%) | Fairfax | 8% | 2.882 |
| 24. | Herndon (49.3%) | Fairfax | 18% | 2.866 |
| 25. | West Springfield (52.3%) | Fairfax | 9% | 2.805 |
| 26. | SpringBrook* (36.6%) | Montgomery | 27% | 2.802 |
| 27. | Westfield (48.7%) | Fairfax | 11% | 2.773 |
| 28. | Falls Church (32.3%) | Fairfax | 37% | 2.702 |
| 29. | Dominion(32.7%) | Loudoun | 7% | 2.672 |
| 30. | Potomac Falls (36.7%) | Loudoun | 9% | 2.670 |
| 31. | West Potomac | Fairfax | 30% | 2.657 |
| 32. | Marshall* (53.4%) | Fairfax | 17% | 2.628 |
| 33. | Montgomery Blair (43.8%) | Montgomery | 26% | 2.576 |
| 34. | Watkins Mill* (31.8%) | Montgomery | 28% | 2.570 |
| 35. | Einstein (33%) | Montgomery | 33% | 2.524 |
| 36. | Loudoun Valley (44.1%) | Loudoun | 4% | 2.442 |
| 37. | Rockville (33.9%) | Montgomery | 19% | 2.422 |
| 38. | McDonough (17.6%) | Charles | 19% | 2.392 |
| 39. | John Handley (32.7%) | Winchester | 31% | 2.390 |
| 40. | Eleanor Roosevelt (32.1%) | Prince George's | 19% | 2.350 |
| 41. | Stone Bridge (50.9%) | Loudoun | 5% | 2.342 |
| 42. | Middletown (45.2%) | Frederick, Md. | 5% | 2.311 |
| 43. | Hylton (23.5%) | Prince William | 17% | 2.306 |
| 44. | Wakefield (31.6%) | Arlington | 54% | 2.294 |
| 45. | Bell Multicultural | D.C. | 81% | 2.253 |
| 46. | Broadneck (39.8%) | Anne Arundel | 5% | 2.230 |
| 47. | Leonardtown (23.9%) | St. Mary's | 13% | 2.220 |
| 48. | River Hill (46.4%) | Howard | 2% | 2.218 |
| 49. | Poolesville (43.6%) | Montgomery | 3% | 2.193 |
| 50. | Wilson | D.C. | 42% | 2.181 |
| 51. | Patuxent (28.1%) | Calvert | 15% | 2.147 |
| 52. | Loudoun County (34.6%) | Loudoun | 10% | 2.137 |
| 53. | Severna Park (34.4%) | Anne Arundel | 2% | 2.117 |
| 54. | Heritage (36%) | Loudoun | 15% | 2.068 |
| 55. | Gaithersburg** (30.4%) | Montgomery | 24% | 2.063 |
| 56. | Huntingtown (26.1%) | Calvert | 5% | 2.060 |
| 57. | Quince Orchard (40.8%) | Montgomery | 15% | 1.983 |
| 58. | Stuart* (40.7%) | Fairfax | 49% | 1.969 |
| 59. | Linganore (32.5%) | Frederick, Md. | 5% | 1.948 |
| 60. | Liberty (21.9%) | Carroll | 2% | 1.923 |
| 61. | Broad Run (32%) | Loudoun | 8% | 1.921 |
| 62. | Paint Branch (38.4%) | Montgomery | 17% | 1.897 |
| 63. | Magruder (44.4%) | Montgomery | 17% | 1.876 |
| 64. | Sherwood (39%) | Montgomery | 12% | 1.869 |
| 65. | Wheaton (29.7%) | Montgomery | 42% | 1.849 |
| 66. | Stonewall Jackson* (38%) | Prince William | 26% | 1.828 |
| 67. | Frederick (31.4%) | Frederick, Md. | 26% | 1.821 |
| 68. | Osbourn Park (39.1%) | Prince William | 10% | 1.798 |
| 69. | T.C. Williams** (28.7%) | Alexandria | 40% | 1.786 |
| 70. | Kennedy (25.4%) | Montgomery | 31% | 1.776 |
| 71. | Gar-Field* (29%) | Prince William | 35% | 1.776 |
| 72. | Great Mills (16.2%) | St. Mary's | 31% | 1.762 |
| 73. | Urbana* (34%) | Frederick, Md. | 4% | 1.732 |
| 74. | South River (27.8%) | Anne Arundel | 3% | 1.722 |
| 75. | Tuscarora (30.8%) | Frederick, Md. | 12% | 1.707 |
| 76. | Edison* (37.2%) | Fairfax | 27% | 1.630 |
| 77. | La Plata (22.6%) | Charles | 17% | 1.628 |
| 78. | Brentsville** | Prince William | 4% | 1.626 |
| 79. | SEED | D.C. | 73% | 1.609 |
| 80. | Northern (28.5%) | Calvert | 8% | 1.608 |
| 81. | Park View (31.1%) | Loudoun | 27% | 1.598 |
| 82. | School Without Walls | D.C. | 13% | 1.584 |
| 83. | Annapolis* (20.7%) | Anne Arundel | 32% | 1.571 |
| 84. | Old Mill* (19.9%) | Anne Arundel | 10% | 1.571 |
| 85. | Walkersville (32.1%) | Frederick, Md. | 11% | 1.556 |
| 86. | Seneca Valley (30.8%) | Montgomery | 22% | 1.556 |
| 87. | Mt. Vernon* (32.6%) | Fairfax | 34% | 1.544 |
| 88. | Hayfield (29.7%) | Fairfax | 20% | 1.541 |
| 89. | Lee* (39.4%) | Fairfax | 31% | 1.540 |
| 90. | Gov. Thomas Johnson (28.1%) | Frederick, Md. | 16% | 1.523 |
| 91. | Northwest (35.7%) | Montgomery | 15% | 1.500 |
| 92. | Manassas Park** (13.3%) | Manassas Park | 28% | 1.495 |
| 93. | Century (28.4%) | Carroll | 4% | 1.491 |
| 94. | Blake (40.5%) | Montgomery | 10% | 1.490 |
| 95. | South Lakes* (36.3%) | Fairfax | 27% | 1.475 |
| 96. | Potomac** | Prince William | 28% | 1.468 |
| 97. | Damascus (39.7%) | Montgomery | 8% | 1.422 |
| 98. | Southern (16.7%) | Anne Arundel | 11% | 1.422 |
| 99. | Stone (15.5%) | Charles | 21% | 1.417 |
| 100. | Woodbridge (23.9%) | Prince William | 23% | 1.407 |
| 101. | Courtland (27.3%) | Spotsylvania | 21% | 1.394 |
| 102. | Brunswick (22.8%) | Frederick, Md. | 14% | 1.393 |
| 103. | Riverbend (28.9%) | Spotsylvania | 14% | 1.364 |
| 104. | Mount Hebron (31.8%) | Howard | 5% | 1.345 |
| 105. | Chopticon (16.7%) | St. Mary's | 10% | 1.343 |
| 106. | Westlake (15.3%) | Charles | 15% | 1.342 |
| 107. | Annandale* (42.5%) | Fairfax | 40% | 1.329 |
| 108. | Fauquier (21.2%) | Fauquier | 10% | 1.308 |
| 109. | Osbourn (22.8%) | Manassas | 13% | 1.305 |
| 110. | Forest Park (21.7%) | Prince William | 15% | 1.300 |
| 111. | Glenelg (27.9%) | Howard | 2% | 1.296 |
| 112. | Colonial Forge (26.4%) | Stafford | 8% | 1.276 |
| 113. | Chancellor | Spotsylvania | 19% | 1.252 |
| 114. | Battlefield (21.1%) | Prince William | 8% | 1.250 |
| 115. | Brooke Point (19.8%) | Stafford | 10% | 1.239 |
| 116. | Bowie (15.2%) | Prince George's | 15% | 1.225 |
| 117. | Hammond (29.4%) | Howard | 11% | 1.158 |
| 118. | Massaponax (15%) | Spotsylvania | 22% | 1.108 |
| 119. | Catoctin (23.8%) | Frederick, Md. | 11% | 1.104 |
| 120. | Flowers | Prince George's | 28% | 1.095 |
| 121. | Spotsylvania (16.5%) | Spotsylvania | 34% | 1.084 |
| 122. | Monroe (24.6%) | Fredericksburg | 30% | 1.075 |
| 123. | Winters Mill (23%) | Carroll | 15% | 1.070 |
| 124. | Atholton (27%) | Howard | 4% | 1.064 |
| 125. | Arundel (18.1%) | Anne Arundel | 9% | 1.050 |
| 126. | Stafford (17.8%) | Stafford | 12% | 1.035 |
| 127. | Westminster (25.8%) | Carroll | 6% | 1.029 |
| 128. | Cardozo | D.C. | 66% | 1.028 |
| 129. | Calvert ((12.3%) | Calvert | 14% | 1.024 |
| 130. | Long Reach (19.9%) | Howard | 16% | 0.997 |
| 131. | Oxon Hill (10.6%) | Prince George's | 23% | 0.993 |
| 132. | Chesapeake (21.4%) | Anne Arundel | 5% | 0.990 |
| 133. | Wilde Lake (26.7%) | Howard | 19% | 0.952 |
| 134. | Booker T. Washington (0%) | D.C. | 86% | 0.943 |
| 135. | Reservoir (20.4%) | Howard | 8% | 0.919 |
| 136. | Howard (21.8%) | Howard | 6% | 0.916 |
| 137. | South Carroll (22.6%) | Carroll | 4% | 0.913 |
| 138. | Meade (19.2%) | Anne Arundel | 29% | 0.903 |
| 139. | Math Science Tech | D.C. | 80% | 0.885 |
| 140. | Friendship Collegiate** | D.C. | 65% | 0.873 |
| 141. | Northwestern (16.9%) | Prince George's | 53% | 0.873 |
| 142. | Liberty (14.9%) | Fauquier | 14% | 0.848 |
| 143. | Cesar Chavez | D.C. | 81% | 0.843 |
| 144. | Lackey (6.9%) | Charles | 25% | 0.841 |
| 145. | Culpeper County (13.3%) | Culpeper | 16% | 0.801 |
| 146. | Rappahannock County ** (20.8%) | Rappahannock | 14% | 0.798 |
| 147. | Glen Burnie (9.8%) | Anne Arundel | 23% | 0.776 |
| 148. | Central* | Prince George's | 42% | 0.745 |
| 149. | Laurel* (7.9%) | Prince George's | 25% | 0.722 |
| 150. | Crossland (0%) | Prince George's | 34% | 0.695 |
| 151. | North Stafford (16.2%) | Stafford | 12% | 0.681 |
| 152. | Suitland* | Prince George's | 34% | 0.631 |
| 153. | High Point (14%) | Prince George's | 61% | 0.616 |
| 154. | Key (12.3%) | Carroll | 15% | 0.606 |
| 155. | Oakland Mills (16%) | Howard | 20% | 0.582 |
| 156. | Frederick Douglass (0.5%) | Prince George's | 16% | 0.573 |
| 157. | Northeast (9.7%) | Anne Arundel | 13% | 0.571 |
| 158. | Parkdale* | Prince George's | 53% | 0.566 |
| 159. | H.D. Woodson (2%) | D.C. | 62% | 0.510 |
| 160. | Ellington | D.C. | 32% | 0.510 |
| 161. | DuVal (1.4%) | Prince George's | 32% | 0.510 |
| 162. | North County (9.7%) | Anne Arundel | 17% | 0.505 |
| 163. | North Carroll (12.5%) | Carroll | 7% | 0.498 |
| 164. | Warren County (6.1%) | Warren | 15% | 0.480 |
| 165. | Roosevelt | D.C. | 54% | 0.339 |
| 166. | Potomac (0.4%) | Prince George's | 47% | 0.273 |
| 167. | Anacostia (0%) | D.C. | 68% | 0.271 |
| 168. | Millbrook (7.2%) | Frederick, Va. | 17% | 0.239 |
| 169. | Friendly (2.1%) | Prince George's | 18% | 0.233 |
| 170. | Sherando (8.7%) | Frederick, Va. | 12% | 0.216 |
| 171. | Thurgood Marshall (0%) | D.C. | 70% | 0.214 |
| 172. | James Wood (8%) | Frederick, Va. | 13% | 0.190 |
| 173. | Ballou (0%) | D.C. | 90% | 0.185 |
| 174. | M.M. Washington (0%) | D.C. | 67% | 0.180 |
| 175. | Coolidge | D.C. | 55% | 0.177 |
| 176. | Surrattsville (1.3%) | Prince George's | 15% | 0.167 |
| 177. | Bladensburg (5%) | Prince George's | 41% | 0.161 |
| 178. | Gwynn Park (1.1%) | Prince George's | 12% | 0.158 |
| 179. | Largo (1.7%) | Prince George's | 20% | 0.154 |
| 180. | Forestville | Prince George's | 42% | 0.092 |
| 181. | Fairmont Heights (0%) | Prince George's | 37% | 0.077 |
| 182. | Integrated Design & Electronics Academy | D.C. | 70% | 0.056 |
| 183. | Spingarn (0%) | D.C. | 79% | 0.047 |
| 184. | Dunbar (0%) | D.C. | 54% | 0.046 |
| 185. | Eastern (0%) | D.C. | 63% | 0.024 |
*Includes IB tests.
**Includes community college or other types of college-level final exams.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Fairfax County, with a rating of 7.311 and an Equity and Excellence rate of 100 percent, was not ranked because it is a magnet school with a selective admissions policy and an average SAT reading and math score, 1454, higher than the highest average for any regular enrollment school in the country. The index is designed to show which schools are challenging average students and does not work well with schools like Jefferson that have few or no average students.
South County in Fairfax County, Briar Woods and Freedom in Loudoun County, Battlefield and Freedom in Prince William County, Mountain View in Stafford County, Clarksburg and Northwood in Montgomery County, North Point in Charles County, Marriotts Ridge in Howard County, and McKinley Tech in the District were not included because they are new schools and did not have full senior classes graduating this year.
