TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The number one public high school in the country is here in Tucson, according to U.S. News and World Report.
BASIS Tucson North, located at 5740 E River Road, tops the 2025-2026 rankings.
The tuition-free public charter school is known for its rigorous curriculum.
“What makes us so special here at BASIS is all of our devotion and dedication to academic excellence,” Student Body Vice President Payson Horsinka said. “We really go through everything in order to try and push ourselves to the hardest that we can, take as many AP classes and try and do as well as we can.”
BASIS charter schools have 40 campuses across Arizona, Louisiana, Texas and Washington, D.C. The Tucson North campus serves about 760 students in grades 5 through 12.
“We’ve grown up with these people, and we know these people through and through, it makes it really special,” Student Body President Daniel Myerson said. “Especially the teachers, as well. We have gotten super, super close with all of our teachers, and it makes it such a welcoming and warm environment.”
How was it determined to be the number one public high school in the country?
U.S. News and World Report bases its rankings on college readiness, state assessment proficiency, state assessment performance, underserved student performance, college curriculum breadth and graduation rate.
Head of School, Monika Mendoza, said she was over the moon when she heard the news.
“It’s been three years of improvement and drive and really keeping our communities centered on the kids, because that’s why we’re here, to work with the children to give them opportunities to engage with this really amazing curriculum that’s going to help them do great things after they leave high school,” she said.
The top ten public Arizona schools in the rankings are all BASIS schools.
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Madison Thomas joined KGUN 9 in July of 2023 as a multimedia journalist. She graduated from Arizona State University in May of 2023 with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She has lived in Arizona her entire life and grew up in Douglas. Madison is thrilled to share the stories from the community she grew up in. Share your story ideas and important issues with Madison by emailing madison.thomas@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
