Once again the Bellevue School District’s five comprehensive public high schools have placed sky-high nationally. All of them are in Newsweek’s annual list of the top 100 high schools in the nation. In fact, they are in the top 80.

Credit the teachers, administrators – and students – who thrive on reaching to and above their potential on a daily basis. The district also owes a debt of gratitude to former superintendent Mike Riley who believed that every student could achieve at a high level if they were given the chance.

Newsweek comes up with the list of top schools by adding up all the Advance Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests taken in a school in 2009 divided by the number of graduating seniors. The thought is that more students taking these demanding courses and tests shows a schoolwide drive for excellence.

This year, Interlake takes a bow among the district’s schools by being ranked 13th best in the country, followed by the International School (20th), Newport (45th), Sammamish (56th) and Bellevue (80th).

We give everyone associated with this success an obvious A+.

– Craig Groshart, Bellevue Reporter