With three of District 211’s five schools ranking among Newsweek’s top 500 high schools in the country, administrators say it’s clear an expansion of rigorous course work is paying off.

Conant High School in Hoffman Estates, Fremd High School in Palatine and Schaumburg High School were listed on the magazine’s annual America’s Best High Schools list. Fremd was ranked number 211, Conant was number 476 and Schaumburg’s ranking was 486.

Superintendent Nancy Robb said she was pleased to hear the schools — who have appeared on the list in the past — made it again this year, especially because some of the methodology changed, making it more challenging.

To make the list, public high schools had to submit graduation rates, ACT scores, and other academic statistics. The number of advanced placement tests taken per graduate, as well as their average scores was also taken into account.

That is one area where District 211 is especially committed, Robb said.

“There’s an intense focus on increasing the number of students taking more rigorous classes,” she said.

Over the past five years, 24 percent more students in the district enroll in AP classes, Robb pointed out, and even with more students in class, scores continue to hold steady or improve each year.

“We’re opening our AP classroom doors to a significant broader pool of students while maintaining or improving the number of students earning scores of three or higher,” she said. On AP tests, a score of five is the highest a student can earn.

Conant Principal Timothy Cannon echoed Robb’s commitment to AP course work. He said teachers work to encourage students who might not have thought of taking an AP class or test to prepare to do so during their high school career.

There’s a six-week summer school class to prepare such students, and it’s “starting to pay off,” Cannon said.

But, Cannon added encouraging AP opportunities isn’t the only aspect of a successful high school.

“Our focus here is to provide opportunities to all kids, whether it be AP kids or kids who struggle,” he said.

Schaumburg Principal Timothy Little said he’s followed a district-wide push to accelerate students at all levels.

Part of that initiative allows Schaumburg High School to offer new AP courses that cater to a wide variety of students with a wide spectrum of strengths, he said. Such classes include AP art history and geography.

“It also encourages students to get into that track. Sometimes it’s pretty intimidating,” Little said. “Certainly, it prepares them for college.”

Lisa Small, principal at Fremd High School, said she’s honored to see her school’s name among the best schools in the country.

“Overall it shows the kids that graduate from Fremd are very successful in being prepared to go to college,” she said.

For a full list, visit www.Newsweek.com and search “America’s Best High Schools.”