U.S. News names Triad High School top-ranked Metro East High School for second consecutive year

By Charles Bolinger
Editor

TROY – Triad High School has once again earned a place on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best High Schools list, ranking as the top-performing high school in the Illinois Metro-East for the second year in a row.

The annual rankings evaluate nearly 18,000 public high schools nationwide based on state assessment performance, Advanced Placement (AP) exams, graduation rates, college readiness, and equity in student achievement. Triad’s strong results across these measures reflect the school’s ongoing commitment to preparing students for success in college, careers, and beyond.

“We are incredibly honored and proud to be recognized by the U.S. News & World Report as one of the best high schools in the nation,” said Kelli Barbour, Principal of Triad High School. “With all of the outstanding high schools in our area, to again be ranked as the highest high school in the Illinois Metro-East Area is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, faculty, staff, and the entire Triad community.”

She continued, explaining what it means to earn such an accolade more than once.

“Being named to the U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools rankings for the second time is a meaningful validation of the work our staff does each day at Triad High School,” she said. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our teachers, the commitment of our students and the support of our families. It affirms that the daily effort we put into challenging academics, building strong relationships and creating opportunities for success is making a real difference in the lives of Triad students.”

Triad Superintendent Jason Henderson considers the honor a bonus.

“This ranking gives families a snapshot of things like academics, college readiness and student success, which can be reassuring for parents who may not know the area yet,” Henderson said. “At the same time, most families also look at other things that matter even more—like extracurriculars, school culture, safety, athletics and the overall feel of the school community. I’d say the ranking is really just a nice bonus on top of the strong word-of-mouth and positive experiences that current Triad families are already sharing.”

Henderson emphasized again that from himself and the board on down, the focus is on the students.

“For our board, everything starts with asking, ‘What’s best for students?’ and ‘How do we support our staff to do their best work?’” Henderson said. “When recognition like this comes along, it reassures us that those priorities are making a positive difference. At the same time, it’s not the award itself that drives us—it’s making sure Triad is a place where kids feel supported and staff feel valued.”

As for a three-peat in 2026, Henderson said they’re not counting on one.

“Awards are never something we expect. They’re a reflection of the hard work of our students, staff and families coming together as a community. Our focus isn’t on winning recognition but on making sure that Triad continues to be a place where our students are succeeding. We know that we are seeing steady growth in the number of students taking AP exams and earning qualifying scores and that we have many students exceeding on state assessments. If outside groups recognize that work with awards, it’s a nice bonus, but our daily mission stays the same.”

Triad High School is committed to providing students with a comprehensive and high-quality learning experience through a rigorous academic curriculum, enriching extracurricular activities, and a supportive learning environment that fosters student success. For more information about Triad High School, please visit its website at https://www.triadunit2.org/.