Western Dubuque and Cascade High Schools have received significant recognition on the national stage of high school education. The respected U.S. News & World Report recently unveiled its "2023-2024 Best Public High Schools" rankings on August 29th, showcasing schools that consistently excel in academics and prepare students well for higher education.
Jacob Feldmann, Principal of Western Dubuque High School, expressed his pride, saying, "We are thrilled to receive this recognition which highlights the unending effort of our staff, parents, and community to provide impactful individual learning opportunities for our students." Ryan Fritz, Principal of Cascade High School added, "The Cascade Jr./Sr. High School community is excited to receive this recognition as it's a reflection of the high impact work our students, our staff, and our community provide to become better every day.”
In this year's national rankings, Western Dubuque and Cascade High Schools both earned spots in the top 25%, landing at #3,782 and #3,964 respectively. These rankings were determined after evaluating nearly 18,000 public high schools across the country. Notably, only forty high schools in Iowa made it to this prestigious list of the top 5,000 schools nationwide. On top of the national rankings, the U.S. News & World Report also assessed schools on a state level. Western Dubuque High School secured the #25 spot, while Cascade High School achieved #29 out of almost 320 featured high schools in Iowa this year.
The evaluation process by the U.S. News & World Report looked at six key factors: college preparedness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, achievements of students who face disadvantages, availability of advanced coursework, and graduation rates.
Dr. Dan Butler, Superintendent of the Western Dubuque County Community School District (WDCCSD), highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating, "This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, faculty, and families in providing an outstanding education. Our commitment to preparing students for higher education and their future careers remains unwavering."
For a complete list of the "2023-2024 Best Public High Schools," you can visit this
link.