West End High named one the best schools in nation

Etowah Counties West End High School in Walnut Grove has been named by U.S. News and World Report to a list of the best high schools in the nation.  The report compares schools to analyze how well they do on state performance tests and assesses a school’s participation in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. Special attention is paid to how well those schools help students of color and from low-income backgrounds.  Out of 360 eligible schools in Alabama, three received a gold medal and 12 received a silver. West End was among 78 schools that received a bronze medal.  More than 19,000 schools nationwide are recognized.  West End is in a rural part of western Etowah County, and the area has economic struggles because of that location. The school has about a 70 percent rate of free and reduced lunches.  School officials said the school participated in AP programs for the first time last year with calculus and chemistry. The AP program will expand in the next school year, adding biology, literature and English.