DHS Ranks as Top High School in Suburbs

Deerfield High School is ranked fifth among Illinois high schools and 181st in the country, according to the latest survey by U.S. News and World Report, placing it No. 1 among suburban institutions.

In the fifth edition of the survey, Deerfield moved up two spots from last year when it was seventh jumping ahead of Stevenson, which remained sixth. Township High School District 113 did well for itself as Highland Park placed seventh.

Earlier: DHS Ranked 7th Best State School

“I’m always proud of how our students and staff perform,” Deerfield Principal Audris Griffith said. “The students do well academically, in their activities and philanthropically.”

A fundraising record was set for the School Chest this year, the institution has been leading surveys all year and its athletes have won state championships. “The students are learning the roles they will serve in the local community and the global community,” Griffith said.

Four city schools—Northside College Prep, Walter Payton College Prep, Jones College Prep and Whitney Young—finished ahead of Deerfield. Other North Suburban schools on the list include New Trier (11), Glenbrook North (16), Lake Forest (17) and Evanston (18), Vernon Hills (19) and Libertyville (20).

U.S. News created the rankings based on a list of more than 21,000 public high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia, according to a press release from U.S. News. Schools are evaluated based on overall student performance on state tests, Advanced Placement tests and International Baccalaureate exams; rankings also take into account how well students educate black, Hispanic and economically disadvantaged students, according to the release. 

The rankings are designed to capture how well high schools educate all of their students and prepare them for college-level work, according to U.S. News.

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