Last modified: Friday, March 21, 2008 11:53 AM PDT Nyssa High School Principal Ken Ball is proud to hear that the Bulldogs were ranked in the top 1,886 schools out of 18,790 evaluated in the United States. Unlike some high schools, Nyssa offers college credit classes instead of Advanced Placement or AP classes and also strives to help students who struggle academically. Nyssa school gains national honors By Brielle Kennington Argus Observer NYSSA — According to the 2008 U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best High Schools,” a great high school must serve all its students well, not just those who are bound for college, and it must also be able to produce measurable academic outcomes. Focus on academic success was translated into a special award for Nyssa High School. It was ranked in the top 1,886 high schools in the United States and garnered a bronze award under the 2008 U.S. News & World Report study. The U.S. News & World Report’s Best High Schools study was developed by Schools Evaluation Services, a K-12 education data research business run by Standard & Poor’s, an education data research business. Standard & Poor’s analyzed 18,790 public high schools — utilizing a three-step process in 40 states using data from the 2005 to 2006 school year. The first two steps ensured that the schools serve all of their students well, using state proficiency standards as the measuring benchmarks. For those schools that made it past the first two steps, a third step assessed the degree to which schools prepared students for college-level work. Though Nyssa High School does not offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses, it does furnish high school students the chance to earn college and high school credits through Treasure Valley Community College. Nyssa High School Principal Ken Ball said he feels the college classes better suit the needs of the students than AP classes and provides a good opportunity for them. Some Nyssa High School graduates will have 35 to 40 college credits before enrolling full time as a college student. Ball said he feels Nyssa’s focus is on getting students the help they need along with a focus on college preparation. “It gives them an opportunity and an easier transition to college,” Ball said. The school was not measured on AP or college classes offered but Ball said he thinks it helped Nyssa High School score so well in other areas. The college classes offered are based on the demand from the students. Students are asked to turn in their four-year plan as freshmen to help guide them toward a future career. If a college class they want to take is offered, they register as if it is a regular high school class, and they must then pass a preliminary test to determine if they are prepared to take the class. Ball said usually juniors and seniors take the college classes, but occasionally a few sophomores will take them as well. The students must pay half of the tuition for the college courses and the school district pays for their books. If the students score a C or above the school then reimburses them for the tuition paid. Though most of the college classes offered are math, science and English, Ball said he would like to see the junior health class become a college credit class next year. He said he thinks he will be able to accomplish this goal for the next school year. “Our superintendent is a firm believer in a college education,” he said. Ball also attributed the award to all the intervention programs Nyssa offers to struggling students. Currently Nyssa offers 22 programs or ways of helping students before they are transferred to another school for help. The school dubs the programs an intervention pyramid. Students will start out trying different things at the bottom of the pyramid and then work their way up as they need more help. Some of the programs include evening classes, mandatory study halls and one-on-one help with the teachers. “We’re not gonna give up,” Ball said. Another factor that was considered for the top high schools was attendance and drop out rates, which for Nyssa helped it land its bronze award. Ball said for the past three years Nyssa High School has had a drop out rate of less than 1 percent. He also said the attendance rate is very high, which he attributed to class expectation and rigor. He said most of the students know they cannot miss too much school or they will fall behind. “We can’t teach them if we can’t keep them here,” Ball said. Ball has been principal of Nyssa High School for seven years and has been part of the school district for 31 years. He grew up in Huntington and then attended TVCC and graduated from Western Oregon University.