Six North East ISD high schools have been ranked among America's best high schools in Newsweek magazine. The list ranks the top 1,500 in the United States, which represents the top six percent of public schools. International School of the Americas (ISA) was number 91, Churchill came in at 273, Roosevelt was 596, Reagan was listed as 700, MacArthur ranked at 794 and Madison at 1,246.

All campuses improved significantly in their ranking when compared to last year. Principals leading North East's top-ranked schools are Kathy Bieser, ISA; Jeff Vaughan, Churchill; Rick Canales, Roosevelt; Bill Boyd, Reagan; Bobbie Turnbo, MacArthur; and Chris Thompson, Madison.

"This is great news. With the extended [Advanced Placement] curriculum offered by the district, our students have really stood up to the challenge. These classes better prepare our students for college," said Bill Boyd, Reagan principal. "It's remarkable how so many students are taking these courses. Their success reflects back on both the district and the campus."

More than 27 percent of NEISD high school students are taking advanced courses, higher than the region and state averages. The district's percentage of enrollment in these courses has steadily increased over the last several years. This is due in part to the district's implementation of a national program called AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination. This program teaches students the skills needed in college level courses and encourages them to enroll in advanced classes.

Newsweek develops the list based on a ratio that considers the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2008 divided by the number of graduating seniors.