Gilbert Public Schools Earn Top Rankings in 2025 U.S. News & World Report
Tristan Chavez
GILBERT, Ariz (September 5, 2025) - Gilbert Classical Academy (GCA) and Neely Traditional Academy have been named among the top-ranking schools in the state according to U.S. News & World Report. GCA was recognized as the second-highest-ranking public school district high school in Arizona and the highest-ranking public school district high school in the Phoenix Metro area, while Neely Traditional Academy earned the number four spot among Arizona's elementary schools.
To generate rankings for schools across the United States and within each state, U.S. News & World Report sums standardized scores for each school across four ranking indicators. These indicators rank high schools based on their performance on state-required tests, graduation rates, and how well they prepare students for college. The rankings include both public and charter high schools. For middle and elementary schools, rankings are based on a school's performance and proficiency in both reading and math.
Gilbert Classical Academy teaches students in grades seven through twelve, and is ranked in both high school and middle school categories. As a high school, GCA was recognized as the second-highest-ranking public school district high school in Arizona and the highest-ranking public school district high school in the Phoenix area. With 100% of students graduating, GCA tied for the top graduation spot in the country and in Arizona. Among individual ranking factors, Gilbert Classical Academy ranked thirteenth in the state for College Readiness, as well as twelfth place in Arizona for College Curriculum Breadth. Overall, GCA earned an impressive score of 99.41 out of 100, placing the school just outside the top 100 list for all high schools nationwide. GCA has been widely recognized for their student’s academic performance, as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2019, an A+ School of Excellence and with 'A' letter grades from the Arizona Department of Education, the latest received for the 2024-2025 school year.
As a middle school, GCA earned an overall score of 99.54 out of 100, recognizing them as the fourth highest ranking in Arizona out of over six hundred middle schools. Ranking factors for Gilbert Classical Academy middle school include a Reading Proficiency Rank of second highest in Arizona, a Math Proficiency Rank of fourth highest in Arizona, with both reading and math performance rated "Well Above Expectations."
"Being ranked as the top public school district high school in the Phoenix Metro area and a top middle school in the state is an excellent achievement. Since our students are with us for up to six years, it is a testament to the prolonged hard work and dedication of our students and staff. This ranking shows how hard they've worked for those six years, and it validates our focus on college readiness," said Dr. Dan Hood, Principal at Gilbert Classical Academy.
In the elementary school category, Neely Traditional Academy was ranked fourth in Arizona. Neely Traditional Academy earned an overall score of 99.71 out of 100, based on 83% of students scoring at or above the proficient level for math and 86% in reading. Both reading and math performance were also rated "Well Above Expectations." Neely has also been recognized as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon school, an A+ School of Excellence, and received an "A" letter grade from the Arizona Department of Education for the 2024-25 school year.
In addition to Gilbert Classical Academy and Neely Traditional Academy, several other Gilbert Public Schools received top rankings from U.S. News & World Report. Among the top 100 elementary schools in Arizona were Ashland Ranch Elementary, ranked #42, and Canyon Rim Elementary, ranked #64. In the middle school category, South Valley Junior High was ranked #62 in the state. Finally, for high schools, Campo Verde High was ranked #37, and Highland High was ranked #52 in Arizona.
Gilbert Public Schools is committed to offering an extensive range of quality academic opportunities for PreK-12 designed to provide families with an educational choice to meet the needs of every student and family. To learn more about educational opportunities at Gilbert Public Schools, visit GilbertSchools.net. To learn more about Gilbert Classical Academy and Neely Traditional Academy specifically, visit GilbertClassicalAcademy.GilbertSchools.net and NeelyTraditionalAcademy.GilbertSchools.net.