The Washington Post has put out their list of the nation's "Most Challenging" high schools and two of them are right here in Cedar Rapids!

Both Cedar Rapids Washington and Kennedy rank in the top three percent of American public high schools, based on the "Challenge Index." The index divides the number of two tests, the "Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate," taken at the school during the last school year by the number of the school's graduates.

The Post also calculated each school's "Equity and Excellence Rate." It represents the percentage of the graduates who passed a minimum of one AP test during their time in high school. Kennedy's "Equity and Excellence Rate" was 46 percent and Washington's was 36.6.

Only about one in ten of the more than 22,000 public high schools in the U.S. made the list of 'America's Most Challenging.' As a Kennedy alumnus, it is exciting to know I was part of an institution of such educational excellence. Washington and Kennedy are in proud company, as are City High School in Iowa City and Ames High School.

Find out where other schools in Iowa ranked and learn more about the Washington Post's criteria for the high school Challenge Index HERE.

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