Arizona schools are earning national bragging rights in the newly released 2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings from U.S. News & World Report, with the state’s BASIS charter school network delivering an especially impressive showing.
U.S. News evaluated approximately 27,000 eligible public high schools nationwide and ranked nearly 18,000 based on measures including college readiness, state assessment performance, graduation rates and how effectively schools serve underserved students.
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For Arizona, the biggest headline comes from the national charter and STEM rankings.
Three Arizona schools landed among the five best charter high schools in the United States. BASIS Oro Valley ranks No. 2 nationally, followed immediately by BASIS Goodyear at No. 3. BASIS Prescott rounds out the Arizona trio at No. 5.
Arizona’s showing is even stronger when the focus shifts to science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Three BASIS campuses rank among the five best STEM high schools in America: BASIS Ahwatukee is No. 2, BASIS Chandler ranks No. 3 and BASIS Scottsdale comes in at No. 5.
Top 5 Best STEM High Schools in the U.S.
- High Technology High School (NJ)
- BASIS Ahwatukee (AZ)
- BASIS Chandler (AZ)
- Edison Academy Magnet School (NJ)
- BASIS Scottsdale (AZ)
Overall, the BASIS network placed 12 Arizona campuses among the top 100 high schools nationally, further strengthening the state’s reputation for high-performing charter education.
The strong showing is particularly noteworthy because charter schools represent a significant share of the nation’s highest-ranked schools. According to U.S. News, charter schools account for 23% of the top 100 high schools nationally.
“Every student deserves a pathway to success, and that journey often begins with selecting the right school,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News. “The 2026-2027 Best High Schools rankings empower families with the valuable data and transparency they need to help make the best educational choices for them.”
10 best high schools in Arizona
U.S. News & World Report also ranked high schools in Arizona. Here is the 10 best high schools in Arizona, according to U.S. News & World Report:
1. BASIS Oro Valley: 11155 N Oracle Rd, Oro Valley, Arizona 85737
2. BASIS Goodyear: 15800 W Sherman St, Goodyear, Arizona 85338
3. BASIS Prescott: 1901 Prescott Lakes Pkwy, Prescott, Arizona 86301
4. BASIS Chandler: 4825 S Arizona Ave, Chandler, Arizona 85248
5. BASIS Mesa: 5010 S Eastmark Pkwy, Mesa, Arizona 85212
6. University High School (Tucson): 421 N Arcadia Ave, Tucson, Arizona 85711
7. BASIS Scottsdale: 10400 N 128th St, Scottsdale, Arizona 85259
8. BASIS Flagstaff: 1700 N Gemini Dr, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001
9. BASIS Tucson North: 5740 E River Rd, Tucson, Arizona 85750
10. BASIS Ahwatukee: 10210 S 50th Pl, Phoenix, Arizona 85044
U.S. News developed the rankings using six key performance indicators, including achievement on state-required assessments, graduation rates and college readiness. College readiness considers student participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams. The rankings use data from the 2023-2024 school year.
Nationally, Central Magnet School in Tennessee earned the No. 1 overall ranking, followed by Signature School in Indiana and Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Pennsylvania.
But when it comes to charter and STEM excellence, Arizona stands shoulder-to-shoulder with any state in the country — with BASIS schools claiming six of the 10 available spots across the two national top-five lists.
