AUSTIN, TX—Four Austin Independent School District high schools are among the best in the nation, according to the 2013 U.S. News and World Report. The district’s Liberal Arts Science Academy and Anderson, Bowie and McCallum High Schools earned a spot on the publication’s list of “Best High Schools.”

After evaluating more than 21,000 public high schools throughout the United States, U.S. News and World Report ranked: The Liberal Arts and Science Academy 14^th in Texas and 68^th nationally; Bowie High School 64^th in Texas and 583^rd nationally; McCallum High School 73^rd in Texas and 675^th nationally; and Anderson High School 78^th in Texas and 706^th nationally.

“From academics to fine arts, AISD students and teachers at LASA and Anderson, Bowie and McCallum high schools are achieving success at the highest levels,” Superintendent Meria Carstarphen said. “We commend the principals for their steadfast leadership and congratulate the students and teachers for their diligence and hard work, which is helping their schools remain among the best in the nation.”

The national rankings are determined through a three-step process. U.S. News and World Report explained the first two steps were designed to ensure schools serve all of their students well, using performance on state proficiency tests as the benchmarks. If schools made it past the first two steps, the publication used a third step to assess the degree to which schools prepare students for college-level work.

For more information about U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of AISD high schools, please visit: www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/texas/districts/austin-independent-school-district .