Academy for Science and Design Ranked #1 in New Hampshire, Top 1% Nationally

NASHUA, NH — Academy for Science and Design (ASD) has been ranked the #1 high school in New Hampshire and #183 nationally in the 2026-2027 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings released today. The announcement comes as ASD celebrates its 20th year of operation.

The ranking places ASD in the top 1 percent among nearly 18,000 ranked high schools nationwide and #43 among charter schools nationally. Most notably, ASD tied for #1 nationally on both the State Assessment Proficiency Rank and the State Assessment Performance Rank — measures based on how well students perform on state-required tests in reading, mathematics, and science.

“It comes as no surprise to the Board that ASD has been ranked #1 in NH and in the top 200 nationally,” said Rick Bartle, ASD Board Chairman, “ It is a privilege to be part of the incredible work being done at the school and working with such amazing education leaders.”

The achievement builds on ASD's recognition by the U.S. Department of Education as an Achievement-Gap Closing School of Excellence, a designation highlighting the school's success in narrowing academic disparities among student populations.

ASD is an open-enrollment, lottery-based charter school committed to engaging, inspiring, and nurturing all students through a STEM-focused academic program designed to foster innovation, critical thinking, and effective communication. “We're focused on building the kinds of humans our world needs,” said ASD Director Jenn Cava, “Recognitions like this reflect what happens when you stay true to that mission.”

About the Rankings

US News evaluated approximately 27,000 eligible public high schools nationwide and ranked nearly 18,000 of them. The rankings are based on six performance measures: student achievement on state-required assessments, graduation rates, college readiness, performance among underserved student populations, and participation and performance on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate exams.

The 2026-2027 US News overall score for the Academy for Science and Design is 98.98 out of 100.

The Academy for Science and Design is a tuition-free, STEM-focused chartered public school located in Nashua, serving students in grades 5-12 from across New Hampshire. Full details about ASD’s ranking can be found here.

Interested in learning more about ASD or admissions for the 2027-2028 school year? Visit www.asdnh.org