The Kentucky Department of Education announced Thursday that 31 Kentucky high schools have received the prestigious College Success Award from GreatSchools.orgthe nation’s leading nonprofit school news site.

This recognition, now in its sixth year, honors public high schools that excel in preparing students to enroll and succeed in college, as determined by available data in each state.

Kentucky’s recipients are among 1,436 honorees across 19 states who have demonstrated successful outcomes in graduating students who enroll in two- or four-year colleges, are ready to take college-level courses, and continue their second year. College preparation is crucial to the future success of high school students, as companies still overwhelmingly hire candidates with college degrees.

“We want to provide dynamic learning experiences for all of our students, which means we are all-in when it comes to ensuring that every student is equipped to succeed after high school,” said Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher. “For many, this means pursuing post-secondary education. Our College Success Award-winning schools are models of excellence both within the Commonwealth and across the country, highlighting our commitment to keeping students at the forefront of what we do every day.

The College Success Award is possible because Kentucky leads the nation in collecting and transparently sharing information about student outcomes after high school that is valuable to families, educators and policymakers.

“We applaud Kentucky for prioritizing a high-quality public education that puts students on a path to bright futures,” said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools. “It is inspiring to see how entire school communities – students, teachers and families – can work together in pursuit of a common goal: success for all. Congratulations to these 31 schools for receiving the College Success Award, proof of their hard work and dedication.

The Kentucky winners were:

Discover the College Success Award methodology on www.greatschools.org and browse the complete list of Kentucky winners.

Kentucky Department of Education