By Jim Carchidi
August 26, 2026
Kissimmee’s Neocity Academy earned high honors from U.S. News & World Report, ranking third among Florida’s top high schools. The 2026-27 Best High School Rankings offer local, statewide, and national assessments of school performance across a range of indicators. Results include a Top 10 list of Orlando-area high schools and their statewide standings.
Scoring
The ranking spans all U.S. high schools using scores based on six indicators from the 2023-2024 academic year. Overall scores were calculated based on the following percentages:
- 30%: The percentage of 12th graders with passing scores in at least one Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exam.
- 20%: State assessment scores
- 20%: State assessment scores compared to socioeconomic expectations.
- 10%: State assessment scores of underserved student groups.
- 10%: The percentage of 12th graders with passing scores in AP or IB exams in multiple content areas.
- 10%: Graduation rate
Local and statewide standings
Aside from a #3 statewide ranking, Neocity Academy was at the top of the Metro Orlando list and took the #35 spot in national rankings. Neocity’s AP participation rate is at 100% with a 12th grade enrollment of 103 students. Additionally, 35% of the students are economically disadvantaged.
The following represents the remaining Top 10 Metro Orlando rankings and spans Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), Osceola Public Schools (OPS), Lake County Schools (LCS), and Seminole County Public Schools (SCPS). The list includes statewide and national standings for each school.
#2: Orlando Science Middle High Charter, OCPS (ranked #22 statewide, #184 nationally) AP participation rate is 98%; 12th grade enrollment is 162 students; 19% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#3: Osceola County School of Arts, OPS (ranked #31 statewide, #273 nationally) AP participation rate is 88%; 12th grade enrollment is 147 students; 37% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#4: Professional and Technical High School, OPS (ranked #43 statewide, #515 nationally) AP participation rate is 86%; 12th grade enrollment is 132 students; 37% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#5: Winter Park High School, OCPS (ranked #58 statewide, #901 nationally) AP participation rate is 77%; 12th grade enrollment is 799 students; 24% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#6: Pinecrest Lakes Middle/High Academy, LCS (ranked #64 statewide, #999 nationally) AP participation rate is 86%; 12th grade enrollment is 72 students; 23% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#7: Hagerty High School, SCPS (ranked #74 statewide, #1,114 nationally) AP participation rate is 61%; 12th grade enrollment is 630 students; 20% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#8: Windermere High School, OCPS (ranked #78 statewide, #1,193 nationally) AP participation rate is 72%; 12th grade enrollment is 787 students; 12% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#9: Crooms Academy of Information Technology, SCPS (ranked #80 statewide, #1,218 nationally) AP participation rate is 73%; 12th grade enrollment is 141 students; 40% of students are economically disadvantaged.
#10: Timber Creek High School, OCPS (ranked #82 statewide, #1,278 nationally) AP participation rate is 71%; 12th grade enrollment is 856 students; 19% of students are economically disadvantaged.
2025-26 report cards
Florida Department of Education School Accountability Reports recorded overall improvements for Central Florida schools during the 2025-26 academic year.
No grades below a C were reported at any Orange, Seminole, or Lake County schools. In Osceola County, one public school and one charter school received D grades while only two more received failing grades.
Meanwhile, 76% of all Florida schools earned A or B grades, up from 71% last year. The number of public schools with a D grade fell from 61 to 24 with seven receiving failing grades, down from nine in 2025.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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