What better way to celebrate going back-to-school week than by discussing a national study that says Montana public high schools are lacking compared to the rest of the country?

What a positive individual I am. 

That's right, teachers and students, the Treasure State received no love from US News' National High School Rankings list (the full list can be found at the bottom of the article), so get those pitchforks and torches out.

via GIPHY

Somehow Montana didn't have a single public high school break the top 300 in the entire country. Bozeman High was the best ranking we had - #329. Lone Peak High in Gallatin checked in #393 and was the only other high school in the top 1,000.

How does Montana not have more than 3 schools in the top 1,000? I have to think we're better than that. We've got smart kids in the Treasure State.

Look at the top high schools on the list and tell me what they have that we don't.

Top 5 public high schools in the country

1. The Early College at Guilford (Greensboro, North Carolina)
2. Signature School (Evansville, Indiana)
3. School For Advanced Studies (Miami, Florida)
4. The Davidson Academy of Nevada (Reno, Nevada)
5. Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria, Virginia)

.... okay, those schools sound pretty fancy. They have some scholarly, intelligent-sounding names. I'll give them that, but I have some ideas to make Montana High Schools appear smarter.

Let's change the names. Instead of Bozeman High School let's call it Bozeman Edison School of Invention and Innovation. How about changing Missoula Sentinel High School to Missoula Sentient Wunderkinds Academy? Let's enhance Whitefish High School to Whitefish High School of Kid Geniuses. Last one: Missoula Hellgate High School for Celestial Beings.

Those schools sound super fancy and educational, right? I'm out here dropping great ideas left and right. It's up to the public schools to act now. The ball's in your court.

Here's the top-10 Montana public schools ranking with their national rankings in parenthesis.

1. Bozeman High School (#329)
2. Lone Peak High School (#393)
3. Whitefish High School (#1,752)
4. Red Lodge High School (#1,889)
5. Manhattan High School (#2,100)
6. Sentinel High School (#2,424)
7. Twin Bridges High School (#2,608)
8. Hamilton High School (#2,664)
9. Shelby High School (#2,983)
10. Helena High School (#3,119)

Full national rankings found here. 

More: Schools may not rank high, but Montana does have a couple of the top cities to retire in. 

More: Montana Universities are safer to attend than most states

LOOK: Highest-paying jobs in Missoula

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