BASIS Continues Reign as Nation’s Top Ranked Network by U.S. News & World Report 

At BASIS Charter Schools, we have what we call a “springtime tradition”—seeing how our schools, and thus our students and teachers, fare in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings.

This year, the usual April rankings were pushed to August—to the start of the school year, rather than the end.

“It was well worth the wait,” said BASIS Educational Ventures co-chair Dr. Peter Bezanson. “Different time of year, same old but meaningful tradition!”

The new 2023 rankings were published Tuesday, August 29, 2023. Once again, BASIS has cemented its status as the top charter school network via rankings of charter schools, STEM schools, schools by state, and national schools. Out of 25,000 schools assessed by U.S. News & World Report and 18,000 schools ranked, the BASIS Charter Schools network has:

• 10 schools in the top 100 in the U.S. 
• 3 of the top 10 STEM schools in the U.S., as well as 6 of the top 20, and 9 of the top 53
• 10 of the top 17 charter schools in the nation, as well as 3 of the top 5, and 6 of the top 10 charters
• The top public charter school in three geographic locations (Arizona, Texas, and Washington, D.C.)

“Powered by BASIS Charter Schools, Arizona is the top-performing state in America,” said Dr. Craig R. Barrett, who is Chairman of the Board of BASIS Charter Schools. “If BASIS were a state, all by itself, it’d be among the best U.S. states for top schools, and thus for student outcomes.”

Dr. Barrett added, “While this isn’t new, as BASIS is the longstanding top charter network in the U.S., it’s always incredible to see it yet again.”

Peter Bezanson said he is proud not only that BASIS made Arizona the top U.S. state, but that the network again swept the in-state rankings, with BASIS Charter School campuses ranked numbers 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in Arizona.

“We started in Arizona,” he said, “but as we’ve gotten bigger, we’ve also gotten better teaching our unique kind of advanced liberal arts and sciences academics. And we’re continuing to grow—whether in Arizona, in Texas, or elsewhere!”

Speaking of Texas, BASIS San Antonio Shavano is celebrating the network’s 10-year anniversary in the state as the #7 school of any type in Texas—and the only school in the Texas Top 10 that is open-enrollment and does not select its students.

“That’s a pretty clean sweep,” agreed BASIS Educational Ventures co-chair Patti Bezanson. “These new rankings, while they’re called the ‘2023 rankings,’ use AP Exam and state testing scores from two years ago—that was the peak of the pandemic. While test scores dipped at our schools during distance learning (just as they were down nationwide), our teachers and students did what they could, even when they couldn’t be face to face. And they have every reason to be proud!”

While BASIS is the top network nationwide, our top school in 2023 is BASIS Peoria. “What an incredible honor!” said BASIS Peoria Head of School Melissa Rankin, who has been with BASIS since 2015 and an educator since 2006. “We have an incredible group of smart teachers and staff, wonderful and supportive families, and a student body of eager and enthusiastic learners. They work very hard. They are very deserving!”

Keep reading for a more detailed look at our 2023 U.S. News & World Report rankings.

National High School Rankings

11 BASIS Charter School high schools were ranked by U.S. News & World Report in 2023, all of which were ranked in top 250 of high schools in the nation. Out of 25,000 schools assessed by U.S. News and 18,000 schools ranked by the publication, BASIS had 10 schools in the top 81 schools overall.

• BASIS Peoria #12 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Scottsdale – #20 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Oro Valley – #21 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Chandler – #30 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Ahwatukee – #48 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Phoenix – #51 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Tucson North – #53 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Mesa – #62 school in the U.S.
• BASIS Prescott – #67 school in the U.S.
• BASIS San Antonio Shavano – #81 school in the U.S.
• BASIS DC – #250 School in the U.S.

National Charter School Rankings

This year, BASIS has the nine best charter schools in Arizona, the best charter school in the state of Texas (once again, like last year, it’s BASIS San Antonio Shavano), and the best charter school in metro Washington, D.C. (once again, like last year, it’s BASIS DC).

“BASIS is the top charter school network in America—period,” says Patti Bezanson. “BASIS has 10 of the top 17 public charter school campuses in the nation. BASIS is in a league of its own.”

• BASIS Peoria #2 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Scottsdale – #4 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Oro Valley – #5 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Chandler – #6 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Ahwatukee – #9 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Phoenix – #10 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Tucson North – #11 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Mesa – #13 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS Prescott – #14 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS San Antonio Shavano – #17 charter school in the U.S.
• BASIS DC – #61 charter School in the U.S.

National STEM School Rankings

BASIS is once again the best network or district in the U.S. when it comes to assessing schools in science, technology, engineering, and math.

“Over 25 years, 100% of our grads have been accepted to a four-year college or university,” Peter Bezanson says. “We are a college prep network—and as such, in some ways, STEM rankings matter most, because they are the best way to recognize high-level college prep in the U.S. News rankings.”

• BASIS Scottsdale – #2 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Chandler – #5 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Peoria – #6 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Ahwatukee – #11 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Tucson North – #16 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Oro Valley – #18 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Phoenix – #26 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS San Antonio Shavano – #41 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Mesa – #53 STEM school in the U.S.
• BASIS Prescott – #207 STEM school in the U.S.

State Rankings

Arizona

BASIS Peoria is the #1 school in Arizona—charter or otherwise. BASIS Charter Schools comprise 3 of Arizona’s top 5 campuses of any type, 7 of the top 10, and 9 of the top 12 schools in the state.

• BASIS Peoria – #1 school in Arizona
• BASIS Scottsdale – #2 school in Arizona
• BASIS Oro Valley – #3 school in Arizona
• BASIS Chandler – #6 school in Arizona
• BASIS Ahwatukee – #8 school in Arizona
• BASIS Phoenix – #9 school in Arizona
• BASIS Tucson North – #10 school in Arizona
• BASIS Mesa – #11 school in Arizona
• BASIS Prescott – #12 school in Arizona

Texas

BASIS San Antonio Shavano is the #7 school of any type in Texas, the #1 charter school in Texas, and the #1 school of any type in San Antonio. It is also the only non-selective school in the top 10 in Texas.

• BASIS San Antonio Shavano – #7 school in Texas

Washington, D.C.

BASIS DC, the network’s only school in the nation’s capital, is the #3 school in the city of Washington, D.C., the #9 school in the metro Washington area, and the #1 charter school in the District.

• BASIS DC – #3 school in Washington, D.C.

We are incredibly proud of the exemplary rankings our schools have achieved!