Monrovia High School Ranked as Top High School by U.S. News and World Report

Monrovia High earned a score of 87.08, earning a high ranking among approximately 2,600 high schools in California. Monrovia’s score correlates to its percentile position in the 2020 Best High Schools rankings.

“This honor emphasizes the District’s commitment to establishing high expectations for all students, from kindergarten all the way up to senior year,” Monrovia Unified Board President Rob Hammond said. “We could not achieve this without the diligent contributions of our administrators, faculty, and staff.”

Monrovia High has introduced a number of innovative and award-winning instructional programs, emphasizing its commitment to rigorous and equitable curriculum that provides a pathway to success for every student.

Monrovia’s Early College program is a dual-enrollment partnership with Citrus College that allows students to earn high school and college credits simultaneously, while providing a taste of the college experience and exposure to new fields of study.

The Early College program was recognized by the California School Boards Association (CSBA) with a Golden Bell Award in 2019.

“Monrovia High continues to show excellence in education and is truly a jewel in our community,” Superintendent Dr. Katherine Thorossian said. “Thank you to Principal Kirk McGinnis for providing a safe and nurturing environment for our students to grow and thrive.”

The Math and Science Academy (MASA) is a comprehensive, four-year career pathway with advanced courses in biology, chemistry, physics, rocketry and robotics. The MASA Speaker Series gives students access to professionals in math and science. MASA Mentors offer support to their classmates.

MASA was recognized in 2014 with a Golden Ribbon by the California Department of Education and by the CSBA with a Golden Bell Award in 2015.

Monrovia High School also offers programs such as Humanities Academy, which provides students with an AP-based academy focusing on literature, arts, and history; Career Technical Education pathways designed to build students’ career based skills in areas such as sports medicine, automotive technology, digital photography, video production, videogame design, and digital media; and Theater Arts Conservatory, which allows students to build acting and performing portfolios, and stage production skills.

Additionally, the school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) class prepares students for college and is designed to build the skills and habits needed for success in college.

“Monrovia is such a tight-knit community. We have families who go back several generations who
expect nothing less than the highest-quality education for their children,” Principal Kirk McGinnis said. “I am so proud of my staff for all of the great work they do, and for the District’s enthusiastic support on behalf of all Monrovia families.”

U.S. News evaluated more than 17,000 public high schools across the country and ranked them nationally and at the state level.

Following methodology revamped in 2019, U.S. News used six ranking factors to measure academic quality, including college readiness, college curriculum, math and reading proficiency and performance, underserved student performance, and graduation rate.