Fort Mill High and Nation Ford High schools have been named in South Carolina’s top 10 high schools in the latest rankings released by U.S. News and World Report magazine.

Catawba Ridge High School, which opened last fall without seniors, was not counted in the latest rankings of the state’s 245 high schools.

U.S. News and World Report compiles its annual rankings based on student test scores, on-time graduation rates and how well schools prepare students for college (Advanced Placement courses). The 2020 list was released last month.

Out of 245 high schools across South Carolina, U.S. News and World Report ranked Fort Mill seventh and Nation Ford as 10th.

As ranked by U.S. News and World Report, the top 10 South Carolina high schools for 2020 are:

• Academic Magnet High (Charleston)

• Charleston School for the Arts (Charleston)

• Wando High (Charleston)

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• Palmetto Scholars Academy (Charleston)

• Spring Hill High (Lexington/Richland District 5)

• Dreher High (Richland District 1)

• Fort Mill High (York District 4)

• Bluffton High

• St. James High (Georgetown)

• Nation Ford High (York District 4)

At Fort Mill High, students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement coursework and exams. The AP participation rate at Fort Mill High is 43%. The total minority enrollment is 21%, and 13% of students are economically disadvantaged, according to the magazine. Fort Mill High is ranked #1,115 in the National Rankings. (The magazine reviewed more than 24,000 U.S. public high schools.)

The magazine says Fort Mill has a total enrollment of 2,222 and a student-teacher ratio of 17:1.

At Nation Ford, the AP participation rate is 47%. The total minority enrollment is 32%, and 20% of students are economically disadvantaged. Nation Ford High is ranked #1,772 in the National Rankings.

The magazine says Nation Ford has a total enrollment of 2,108 and a student-teacher ratio of 17:1.

Greg "Ricky Bobby" Rickabaugh has lived in the Fort Mill and York County community since 2006. He has covered the area while a reporter for The Charlotte Observer and a freelance writer for The Fort Mill...