Fishers & Hamilton Southeastern high schools earn top state & national rankings

Submitted by HSE Schools

Fishers High School (FHS) and Hamilton Southeastern High School (HHS) are once again among the top high schools in Indiana and the nation, according to the newly released 2026-27 U.S. News & World Report Best High Schools Rankings.

FHS and HHS rank No. 8 and No. 12 in Indiana, respectively, and No. 428 and No. 736 nationally. Each was also recognized among the top public high schools in the Indianapolis metropolitan area.

The national rankings mark improvements from 2023, when FHS ranked No. 740 and HHS ranked No. 893.

Kegley

“These rankings reflect the high expectations our students and educators bring to the classroom each day,” Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley said. “What is especially meaningful is that more students are choosing challenging courses and succeeding at record levels. That speaks to the dedication of our students and staff and our commitment to preparing every student for what comes next.”

The rankings consider state assessment performance, graduation rates, and college readiness, including AP and IB exam results. They do not fully account for dual-credit and concurrent enrollment courses, which allow many HSE students to earn college credit.

The rankings come as AP participation and achievement continue to grow across the district. During the 2025-26 school year, 2,801 students completed more than 5,600 AP exams. Of those students, 2,448 earned at least one qualifying score of 3 or higher.

At Fishers, a school-record of 1,539 students participated in AP coursework, and 3,253 AP exams were administered. A total of 1,321 students earned qualifying scores. Among graduating seniors, 58 percent earned at least one AP score of 3 or higher, the highest level in school and district history.

Since 2022, AP participation at FHS has grown by 21 percent, the number of exams taken by 49 percent, and the number of students earning qualifying scores by 40 percent.

Over the same period, Hamilton Southeastern has increased AP participation by 38 percent, the number of exams taken by 67 percent, and the number of students earning qualifying scores by 59 percent.

For 2025-26, 56 percent of HHS graduating seniors earned at least one AP score of 3 or higher, the highest graduating cohort achievement in school history. HHS students also achieved an 89.3 percent AP success rate, the highest in district history.