Northeast News
May 12, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – Lincoln College Preparatory Academy can add the title of best high school in Missouri to its trophy mantle.

On Mat 12, Lincoln Prep was named the best high school in Missouri and the 67th best in the nation, according to 2015 rankings released by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings place Lincoln Prep among the elite public high schools in the U.S. More than 21,000 schools across the nation were judged based on how well their students performed on state assessments and how well students were prepared for college, according to the publication.

Principal Joseph Hesman said this great honor is an affirmation of a lot of hard work and commitment by students, parents, teachers, support staff and administrators at Lincoln Prep.

“Lincoln Prep has a long history of excellence and we are proud to continue that tradition. If anything, being named the top high school in Missouri only motivates us to do even better moving forward,” Hesman said.

Lincoln Prep is an International World School, which means students have the opportunity to graduate with a prestigious  International Baccalaureate. In addition to rigorous academic standards, students are expected to complete at least 100 hours of community service before they graduate.

Lincoln Prep includes students from sixth to 12th grade. Eighty-nine percent of the school’s enrollment is comprised of minority students, and 72 percent come from homes that are considered, “economically disadvantaged.” Any student who lives within the Kansas City Public Schools boundaries can enroll in Lincoln Prep, as long as they meet the school’s achievement and behavior standards.

Last fall, the U.S. Department of Education announced the school had earned a National Blue Ribbon Award. This prestigious honor is given to only the very best schools in the U.S. based on a wide range of rigorous criteria. The school last won the award in 2008.