My Thoughts: Top 10 Public High Schools in San Antonio

I’ve spent 25 years in the CRO trenches, and I’ll tell you something that still surprises me: the best public high school in San Antonio isn’t a secret. It’s Health Careers High School, a magnet in Northside ISD that posts a near-100% graduation rate, AP and dual-credit participation that would make any college admissions officer sit up, and an average SAT around 1250.

But here’s the thing—when I look at a list like this, I don’t just see rankings. I see a story about trade-offs, about the difference between a school that’s engineered for one kind of success and one that’s built for everyone. And that story, the one about fit over flash, is what I want to walk you through.

I’ve spent two and a half decades helping organizations optimize for outcomes—whether it’s a sales funnel or a student’s future. The same principles apply: you start with the data, you weigh the inputs, and you never let a single number fool you. That’s why, when I look at the Top 10 Public High Schools in San Antonio, I don’t just see a list from U.S.

News or Niche or the Texas Education Agency. I see a framework. I see the six levers I’d pull if I were a family: academic performance (test scores, AP) at 25%, graduation and college outcomes at 20%, value and access at 15%, teachers and resources at 15%, environment and safety at 15%, and programs and fit at 10%.

A school that posts elite scores but graduates few students, or wins on reputation but offers thin programs, drops. The winners balance all six.

Let’s start with the top. Health Careers High School is our Best Overall, and it’s not close. This magnet in Northside ISD enrolls about 800 students admitted by application, and it’s a health-sciences pipeline partnered with the University of Texas Health Science Center.

Graduation rate near 99%, SAT averages near 1250, AP and dual-credit participation that’s off the charts. The pros are obvious: elite outcomes, clinical exposure, a pre-health track that feeds selective universities. The con?

It’s narrow. If your kid wants to be a filmmaker or a mechanic, this isn’t the place. But if they’re targeting medicine or nursing, it’s the gold standard.

Now, here’s where the story gets interesting. For the family who doesn’t want to navigate a competitive magnet application, or who lives in a zone, our Best Value is Brandeis High School, also in Northside ISD. This is a large comprehensive campus of about 3,000 students, open enrollment, no tuition, no application.

Graduation rate near 95%, broad AP catalog, strong STEM and engineering academies, solid athletics and arts. The pros: open access, strong outcomes, no competitive admission. The cons: large classes, outcomes vary across a big student body.

Brandeis is the value champion because it delivers strong outcomes to every zoned family, not just the ones who jump through hoops.

Then you have the rest of the list, each with its own trade-off. Ronald Reagan High School in North East ISD is a standout comprehensive school with a deep AP catalog, SAT averages near 1180, and strong athletics and band. Graduation rate near 95%, about 3,000 students, and a magnet-style International School of the Americas affiliation that adds depth.

The con: high academic pressure among top students. Communications Arts High School, a magnet in Northside ISD, is for media, journalism, film, and communications—graduation rate near 98%, project-based curriculum, high AP and dual-credit participation. Competitive admission, narrow focus.

Brennan High School in Northside ISD is a modern comprehensive campus with strong STEM pathways, graduation rate near 95%, and broad programs. Large, fast-growing enrollment. Johnson High School in North East ISD posts a graduation rate near 95%, SAT averages near 1170, and strong athletics and band.

Very large enrollment. Clark High School in Northside ISD is an established comprehensive standout with a broad AP program and strong debate teams. Aging facilities.

O’Connor High School in Northside ISD offers broad AP, dual-credit, and CTE pathways, with strong engineering academies. Graduation rate near 94%. Large enrollment, outcomes vary.

Churchill High School in North East ISD is a well-rounded comprehensive with strong athletics and band, graduation rate near 94%. Less program specialization than magnets. Stevens High School in Northside ISD posts a graduation rate near 93%, broad AP and CTE program, strong engineering and STEM academies.

Trails the top campuses on graduation rate.

Now, here’s the decision tree I use when I’m helping a family. Start with: do you want a magnet or open enrollment? If magnet, what’s the focus?

Health sciences? Pick Health Careers. Media and arts?

Pick Communications Arts. If open enrollment, which district? Northside ISD?

Pick Brandeis or Brennan. North East ISD? Pick Reagan or Johnson.

That’s the framework. And here’s what I’ve learned after all these years: what matters less than marketing implies is a school’s national ranking number, the newest stadium, or its average SAT alone. Program access, fit, and a supportive teacher relationship shape outcomes far more.

So for San Antonio families, here’s the bottom line: Health Careers High School is our Best Overall—graduation rate near 99%, health-sciences pipeline, AP depth. Brandeis High School is our Best Value—strong outcomes and broad programs tuition-free to every zoned family.

If your priority is a media-and-arts magnet or a top North East ISD comprehensive campus, route yourself to Communications Arts, Reagan, or Johnson. Choose on program fit, outcomes, and access—not a single ranking number—and your student will be set up to succeed.

And remember, the best optimization is the one that fits the person, not the data sheet. If you want to dig deeper on how to apply this kind of thinking to your own business or education decisions, reach out to the PULSE or CRO Syndicate. We’ve got the data, the frameworks, and the 25 years of stories to back it up.

*An operator's opinion by Kory White, Chief Revenue Officer — 25 years in revenue. More at PULSE · CRO Syndicate*