Three Chester County schools earned spots in the Philadelphia region’s top ten, with one also placing among the nation’s top 25 in the latest U.S. News ranking, writes Abigail Chachoute for the Philadelphia Business Journal.
Downingtown STEM Academy jumped 24 spots from last year, moving from No. 46 to No. 22 on the 2025-2026 Best High Schools list.
To compile the list, U.S. News ranked 17,901 institutions on a 100-point scale based on metrics such as graduation rates, performance on state assessments, and college preparation levels.
Downingtown STEM scored 99.88 points with a 100 percent graduation rate. It also ranked second in the Philadelphia region, only behind Julia R. Masterman Secondary School.
The school placed first in Pennsylvania on the publication’s college readiness index and tied for first in graduation rank.
In addition to Downingtown, Unionville High School in Kennett Square placed sixth among the top in the Philadelphia region, while Conestoga High School in Berwyn ranked tenth.
Read more about the best high schools in the Philadelphia region and see the whole list in the Philadelphia Business Journal.
______
Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on VISTA Today in August 2025.
