LITTLE ROCK -- The Arkansas House of Representatives and the Arkansas Senate recognized the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts during their respective sessions on Tuesday.
Separate resolutions in the House and Senate recognized ASMSA for the national recognition the school earned last year in The Daily Beast's ranking of "America's Top High Schools." The website ranked ASMSA No. 10 in the nation in its annual survey of the nation's best high schools. The site ranked ASMSA as the fifth-best high school in the south and No. 1 high school in Arkansas.
The survey uses several factors to rank and compare schools, including graduation rates, college acceptance rates, college-level course offerings and exams, percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and scores on college placement exams.
State Reps. Bruce Cozart, R-District 24, and John Vines, D-District 25, sponsored the resolution in the House. State Sen. Bill Sample, R-District 14, sponsored the Senate version. A delegation of ASMSA students, teachers and administrators were recognized by each chamber on Tuesday.
The resolutions cite the national recognition as a positive reflection of the hard work of educators and administrators across Arkansas, including the preparation and experiences ASMSA students received in their home districts.
This year, ASMSA's enrollment includes students from 59 of Arkansas' 75 counties. Over the past five years, ASMSA students have represented 73 counties. At least one student from each county has attended the school since it opened in 1993.
Local on 01/29/2015