Sarasota school among top ten best public schools in Florida: Here's how the rest of the state stacks up

SARASOTA, Fla. - Is your child’s school among the best in Florida? U.S. News and World Report has put together a list of the best public high schools in the state and one Bay Area school is ranked among the top ten.

To compile the list, it looked at college readiness, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rate.

What are the best Florida high schools?

1. School for Advanced Studies, Miami, Fla. (Miami-Dade Public Schools)- School for Advanced Studies is ranked 1st within Florida and third in the nation. According to U.S. News and World Report, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at School for Advanced Studies is 100%. The total minority enrollment is 92%, and 52% of students are economically disadvantaged.
2. Pine View School, Osprey, Fla. (Sarasota County Public Schools)- Pine View School is ranked 2nd in Florida and 13th in the nation. According to U.S. News and World Report, the curriculum at Pine View School mixes traditional classroom learning with independent study, mini-courses and ungraded classes. Pine View School places a strong emphasis on parent involvement through volunteering and fundraising opportunities, open houses, newsletters and field trips. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average and complete advanced foreign language courses to graduate. Extracurricular activities at Pine View include drama club, Model United Nations and National Honor Society.
3. Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School, Miami, Fla. (Miami-Dade Public Schools)- Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School is ranked 3rd in Florida and 41st in the country. U.S. News and World Report states students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Archimedean Upper Conservatory Charter School is 100%. The total minority enrollment is 90%, and 50% of students are economically disadvantaged.
4. Westshore Junior/Senior High School, Melbourne, Fla. (Brevard Public Schools)- Westshore Junior/Senior High School is ranked 4th in Florida and 43rd in the nation. According to U.S. News and World Report, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Westshore Junior/Senior High School is 100%. The total minority enrollment is 31%, and 15% of students are economically disadvantaged.
5. Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST@FIU), North Miami, Fla. (Miami-Dade Public Schools)- Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST@FIU) is ranked 5th within Florida and 46th in the country.  According to U.S. News and World Report, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST@FIU) is 100%. The total minority enrollment is 69%, and 50% of students are economically disadvantaged.
6. Suncoast Community High School, Riviera Beach, Fla (The School District of Palm Beach County)- Suncoast Community High School is ranked 6th in Florida and 70th in the nation. According to U.S. News and World Report, Suncoast Community High School has four magnet programs: computer science; interactive technology; International Baccalaureate; and math, science and engineering. Students can participate in the Advanced Placement Capstone program as well as the IB career or diploma programs, and can earn industry certifications in a number of technical subjects. The school also offers Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education courses. Students can also participate in the school’s more than 100 clubs and more than 40 sports teams.
7. Edgewood Jr/Sr High School, Merritt Island, Fla. (Brevard Public Schools)- Edgewood Jr/Sr High School is ranked 7th in the state and 74th in the nation. U.S. News and World Report states Edgewood Junior/Senior High School offers an accelerated curriculum via dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses. Every student at Edgewood Junior/Senior High School is assigned a mentor, and students earn a Diploma of Distinction through advanced course work. Students and parents are required to complete a minimum number of volunteer or service hours each year, and all students must keep a competitive career and college portfolio.
8. Stanton College Preparatory School, Jacksonville, Fla. (Duval County Public Schools)- Stanton College Preparatory School is 8th in Florida and 76th in the country. U.S. News and World Report states the Stanton College Preparatory School offers a rigorous curriculum of honors, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses. Students can earn college credit for courses taken through partnerships with the University of North Florida and Florida State College at Jacksonville. The majority of Stanton College Preparatory School graduates enter the State University System of Florida. Parents can get involved by volunteering and fundraising for the school.
9. Design and Architecture Senior High School, Miami, Fla. (Miami-Dade County Public Schools) - Design and Architecture Senior High School is ranked 9th in Florida and 86th in the nation. According to U.S. News and World Report, academic programs at Design and Architecture Senior High include fashion, entertainment tech, visual communications, fine art, architecture and industrial design. Students at DASH combine courses from their chosen programs with traditional math, science and language arts courses, offered with honors and AP options. Admittance to Design and Architecture Senior High requires a studio performance, interview, and a review of the portfolio and sketchbook. Parents can participate in the school’s Parents, Teachers and Students Association.
10. José Martí Mast 6-12 Academy, Hialeah, Fla. (Miami-Dade County Public Schools)- José Martí Mast 6-12 Academy is ranked 10th in Florida and 87th in the nation. According to U.S. News and World Report, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® coursework and exams. The AP® participation rate at José Martí Mast 6-12 Academy is 97%. The total minority enrollment is 96%, and 70% of students are economically disadvantaged.

Click here to see the entire list of best public schools in Florida.