The Central Kitsap School District has been honored again for its efforts in educating area students.

The school district announced recently that all three high schools in the Central Kitsap School District have been honored with the distinction of being named to this year’s list of America’s Best High Schools by the Washington Post. This places the three high schools amongst only 30 out of some 500 in the state to be recognized in such a way.

The ranking is based on a challenge index established in 1998 for Washington, D.C. area public high schools, and in 2011 the challenge was expanded to rate high schools across the United States.

The index is designed to measure public and private high schools’ efforts to challenge students. The index utilizes a formula that divides the number of college-level or advanced placement tests a school gives students by the number of graduating seniors. Through this methodology, the index identifies schools that challenge students and commit to preparing the young people for college.

Central Kitsap High School, which placed sixth in the state, ranked at 360 on the list out of more than 1900 schools nationally. This ranking saw the school rise three national positions from last year and achieved the highest index rating any school in the district has achieved.

Klahowya High School was ranked 1,291 nationally. This saw the school rise from 1,465 last year, and at the state level, the school ranked twentieth.

Olympic High School ranked at 1,665 nationally and ranked at twenty-eighth in the state.

Greg Lynch, superintendent for the district, said each of the high schools strived to set high academic standards, and the ranking showed that these efforts have made an impact in student’s academic careers.

“This accomplishment is a credit to the staff and administration at CK High School, Klahowya and Olympic and their commitment to providing the best possible education for all students.” he said, “I am so proud of them.”