Stanly Early College High School has earned a bronze award by US News and World Report in its national 2015 National Best High Schools ranking.

This rank was earned based on students’ mastery of college level material as compared to all high schools across the nation using US News ranking criteria. Of the 29,070 U.S. public high schools examined, only 140 North Carolina schools earned a gold, silver, or bronze ranking.

Last February, Stanly Early College was also recognized for being the only school in Stanly County Schools to earn an A on the new state report card.

At Stanly Early College High, the student body makeup is 56 percent economically disadvantaged with a student enrollment of 34 percent male and 66 percent female. The total minority enrollment is 40 percent, directly paralleling the demographics of Stanly County Schools as a district.

With only seven full-time teachers, at a higher than average state ratio of 21 students per teacher, Stanly Early College boasts an 84 percent proficiency in English and a 41 percent proficiency in algebra skills, achievements which are almost double both the state and district averages.

Stanly Early College students enter as ninth graders and take both high school and Stanly Community College courses to graduate with both a diploma and an associate degree in just five years.

Students interested in attending Stanly Early College may apply for admission in spring of their eighth grade year. Stanly Early College High is one of six high schools in the Stanly County Schools district.

Originally posted on The Stanley News and Press