Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro has been named the best high school in the nation in the 2026-2027 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.
The Rutherford County school moved up from third place in last year’s rankings to claim the top spot among nearly 18,000 ranked public high schools nationwide.
U.S. News evaluated roughly 27,000 eligible public high schools using data from the 2023-2024 school year. The rankings consider six factors, including state assessment performance, graduation rates, college readiness, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate participation and performance, curriculum breadth, and outcomes for students.
Central Magnet was followed in the national top five by Signature School in Indiana, Julia R. Masterman Secondary School in Pennsylvania, Davidson Academy in Nevada, and School Without Walls High School in Washington, D.C.
LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News, said the rankings are intended to “empower families with the valuable data and transparency they need to help make the best educational choices for them.”
Central Magnet serves students in 6th grade through 12th grade, with admission open to Rutherford County students based on academic performance. The school opened in 2010.
Rutherford County Schools Director of Schools Dr. Jimmy Sullivan praised the school’s top ranking, saying the accomplishment “highlights the strength of public education in Rutherford County as a whole and the caliber of opportunities we provide for our students and families.”
Central Magnet Principal Dr. Clark Blair said the ranking recognizes the work of students and staff and the school’s emphasis on academics, extracurricular activities, and community involvement.
The school’s founding principal, Dr. John Ash, also celebrated the ranking, crediting the school’s teachers and students for its academic success.
The achievement also drew praise from U.S. Senator and Republican gubernatorial nominee Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who posted on X, “The #1 high school in America is right here in Tennessee. Congratulations to the students, families, teachers, and the whole team at Central Magnet!”
Central Magnet has also developed a reputation for civic education. In 2022, Central Magnet senior Matthew Feragola won the National Constitution Bee and its $10,000 scholarship.
The National Constitution Bee, founded by The Tennessee Star’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Michael Patrick Leahy, is scheduled to return to Brentwood in April 2027, with students in grades 8 through 12 eligible to compete for scholarships of up to $10,000.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
The fact that this school system is pushing IB should be of great concern and demonstrates how uninformed parents are and captured by lies, deception and rhetoric. IB is all about the indoctrination of American students to be global citizens not loyal patriotic American citizens. IB is a UNESCO PROGRAM. Trump is the 2nd President that removed the US from UNESCO. The first being Reagan. Reagan removed the US because of UNESCO’s support of communism and anti -American agenda. Sorry folks but there is no public school especially in TN that is academically excellent. Just look at our NAEP scores.
Central Magnet School in Murfreesboro Named Best High School in the U.S.”
THANK YOU for including this achievement in your publication. It is something for all Tennesseans to be proud of !
The school’s founding principal, Dr. John Ash was a wonderful leader who, in his 12 years, led the school to this level of success. The teachers are excellent !
Good news about public schools for once. Apparently it is possible to teach students well if the environment and expectations are set correctly.