Skip to main content

Holladay Journal

Beehive ranked best in Utah, Skyline and Olympus top 20

Jul 15, 2021 11:01AM ● By Julie Slama

Two Beehive Academy students present their dry ice floating bubbles project in the Utah STEM Expo, an event organized by Beehive Academy. (Photo courtesy of Beehive Academy)

By Julie Slama | [email protected]

This spring, Beehive Science and Technology Academy burst into the top rankings at No. 1 amongst top-ranked Utah high schools by U.S. News & World Report.

Last year, it wasn’t in the top 10.

Nationwide, Beehive Academy was ranked in the 98th percentile of all U.S. high schools, ranking

244 out of 17,857. For math and reading performance, Beehive ranked No. 1 in both the U.S. and Utah.

“More than 60% of our students participate in the AP program,” Beehive Science and Technology Academy Principal Hanifi Oguz said. “And 57% of our students have already earned college credit by passing one or more AP exams. The U.S. News ranking is a testament to our exceptional faculty and administration, and demonstrates our commitment to academic excellence.”

Other area schools placing in the top 20 include Skyline High in Millcreek ranked fourth; American Preparatory Academy-Draper campus #3, seventh; Academy for Math, Engineering and Science in Murray, eighth; Itineris Early College High, West Jordan, 10th; Corner Canyon High, Draper, 12th; Brighton High, Cottonwood Heights, 14th; and Olympus High, Holladay, 18th.

U.S. News & World Report reviewed about 24,000 U.S. public high schools of which 162 Utah schools were ranked. Utah students needed to earn a minimum of 24 credits, including at least one applied or advanced language arts credit through a class such as debate or journalism, according to the Utah State Board of Education.

The top-ranking high schools had students who demonstrated “outstanding outcomes above expectations in math and reading state assessments, earned qualifying scores in an array of college-level exams, and graduated in high proportions.” The rankings also looked at college readiness, underserved student performance and college curriculum breadth.

The top-ranked Beehive Science and Technology Academy was tied for second in the state with its math and reading proficiency rank, and 96% of the students graduate.

The charter school enrolls 130 students, grades six through 12, for a student to teacher ratio of 17:1. According to the report, 39% of the students are rated as economically disadvantaged, 38% of students state they’re of minority diversity and 35% are female. The school is eligible for Title I funding. 

Beehive also is designated by the Utah State Board of Education and the STEM Action Center as a STEM Platinum School and is recognized as an Apple Distinguished School. The College Board also awarded Beehive the National AP Female Diversity Award for Computer Science.

Skyline ranks 623rd nationally, with its top-ranking factors being second in college readiness and third in college curriculum breath. Of the 2,044 students at the public high school, 70% took at least one AP exam and 57% passed. Ninety-four percent graduate.

The student body composition is primarily white, with only 16% stating minority diversity and 10% being economically disadvantaged. Fifty-two percent are female.

American Preparatory Academy Draper #3 has a participation rate of Advanced Placement exams at 80%, with 60% passing at least one exam. Eighty-eight percent of the students graduate.

With a student body of 246, 40% are identified as minorities and 19% as economically disadvantaged. The male to female ratio is 50:50. The charter school serves students between seventh and 12th grades and ranked first in college readiness and college curriculum breath for the state. Nationally, it ranks 968th.

AMES, with an enrollment of 484, has a 95% graduation rate. Nationally, it ranks 1,120th. The ninth- though 12th-grade Title I charter school had 65% of the students take at least one AP exam, with 34% passing. Fifty-three percent of the students are identified as minorities, 31% of them are economically disadvantaged. The male to female ratio is 50:50.

Itineris has an enrollment of 370, with 96% graduating. The charter school serves 10th through 12th grade, with 45% identified as minority and 27% as economically disadvantaged. Fifty-one percent are female students. The school is eligible for Title I funding. Nationally, it ranks 1,263rd.

Corner Canyon has a 62% participation rate in AP coursework and exams, with a 49% passing. Ninety-five percent of the students graduate. Of the 2,022 students, 17% are identified as minorities, 8% as economically disadvantaged, and 47% are female.

Fifty-eight percent of Brighton’s 1,921 students took at least one AP exam, with 50% passing. Ninety-three percent of the students graduate. Eighteen percent are identified as minority, 14% are economically disadvantaged, and 47% are female. 

Ninety-one percent of Olympus High students graduate. Forty percent take at least one AP exam, with 32% passing. The student body composition includes 17% minority, 21% economically disadvantaged, and 51% female.