By Elizabeth Benton, Register Staff

Three New Haven magnet schools and Madison’s Daniel Hand High School were listed among the nation’s top high schools in a recently published U.S. News and World Report analysis.

Career High School, Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School and Daniel Hand High School all received silver designations. New Haven Academy received a bronze.

The magazine examined reading and math scores on state tests, and looked to see whether the school’s economically disadvantaged, black and Hispanic students scored higher than similar students statewide. For those schools with standardized test results that made the cut-off, the magazine also examined how students were prepared for college level work, judged by Advanced Placement test participation and performance.

This is Daniel Hand’s second silver designation, while Co-op and Career received bronze designations last year. This is New Haven Academy’s first year on the list.

Madison Superintendent of Schools David Klein said students and staff were thrilled to be recognized. “There’s certainly a great deal of happiness and people feel great about being named one of the best high schools,” he said.

Klein said he considered it a tremendous honor that Hand won the award for a second consecutive year.

“I think it’s a real testament to the quality of the staff and how diligently they work to deliver a comprehensive and intellectually invigorating program,” he said. “I think it’s a great compliment to the intelligence of the students at Daniel Hand High School; it speaks to the wonderful parental support that students get at home.”

Bronze awards were given to schools whose standardized test results made the silver rating cut-off, but the school’s AP test participation and performance did not.

Gold awards were given to the nation’s top 100 scorers. No Connecticut school received a gold award.

“I’m very excited about the honor,” said Co-op Principal Delores Garcia-Blocker. “We have a clear plan to change the level of instruction in the building... so we have more students not only enrolling in AP courses but being qualified to be in those courses,” she said. “I come with a private high school background. I know what my experience was like when I was in high school and I feel very strongly students in an urban environment are deserving of a prep school experience.” Continued...

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“Magnets have been a big part of our success,” said New Haven Mayor John DeStefano Jr, who also criticized the state Department of Education for an “emerging narrative about defunding magnets.”

New Haven has claimed its schools stand to lose $15 million in 2009-10 and $16 million in 2010-11 due to new state legislation.

Until this year, magnet schools received Education Cost Sharing grants and magnet grants. Sending districts received full ECS funding although they were no longer responsible for educating the student. As of this year, sending districts stopped receiving ECS funding for students educated out of district, and students attending local magnet schools are counted only 75 percent in ECS tallies.

U.S. News analyzed more than 21,000 public high schools in 48 states, using 2006-07 data.

Register Reporter Amanda Pinto contributed to this story.

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