Where Are the Nation’s Top STEM High Schools? Right Here

January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 Bethany Erickson 1 Comment

Eight area schools found themselves among the 500 top STEM high schools in the country, according to Newsweek, and the top two schools are in Dallas ISD.

Dallas ISD’s Science and Engineering Magnet garnered the top spot on the list, scoring 99.67 out of 100. The district’s School for the Talented and Gifted was close behind at second place, with a score of 99.47.

St. Mark’s School of Texas, Hockaday, Cisterician, Jesuit, Greenhill, and Highland Park High School also were named to the list.

“It’s a tremendous honor to be named the number one STEM high school in the nation by Newsweek,” said SEM principal Andrew Palacios. “Words cannot describe how proud I am of our extraordinary students and dedicated teachers whose accomplishments continue to exceed my expectations.”

“This recognition tells a story of the great things happening here at SEM and throughout Dallas ISD,” he continued. “Every student who has walked through our school doors has left a footprint in the progress we have accomplished today, and we are excited to continue driving forward by providing quality education and access for all students.”

Newsweek’s scoring system was based on STEM.org’s new Algorithmic STEM Accreditation System, or ASTEMA, and is based on eight standard points of measurement based on STEM subjects, including which courses are offered, which accounts for 40 percent of the score. Schools need at least two subjects to qualify for consideration, but the STEM.org suggests that all four – science, technology, engineering, and math be offered.

Other benchmarks include proficiency in 21st-century skills, the content and quality of STEM courses offered, diversified learning, after school activities and events, technology, hands-on problem solving, and whether the school is offering real-world learning opportunities and work opportunities in STEM fields.

The deadline to apply for Dallas ISD choice schools is Jan. 31. To see the complete Newsweek list, click here.

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Bethany Erickson

Bethany Erickson, former Digital Editor at People Newspapers, cut her teeth on community journalism, starting in Arkansas. She's taken home a few awards for her writing, including first place for her tornado coverage from the National Newspapers Association's 2020 Better Newspaper Contest, a Gold award for Best Series at the 2018 National Association of Real Estate Editors journalism awards, a 2018 Hugh Aynesworth Award for Editorial Opinion from the Dallas Press Club, and a 2019 award from NAREE for a piece linking Medicaid expansion with housing insecurity. She is a member of the Education Writers Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, the News Leaders Association, the News Product Alliance, and the Online News Association. She doesn't like lima beans, black licorice or the word synergy.