By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Several high schools in Shelby County made a national website’s 2018 list of the “Best Public High Schools in Alabama,” earning high marks for classroom offerings, activities, college prep and safety.

The Niche.com website recently released its 2018 list of the best public high schools in the state “based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education,” and local schools in the Shelby County, Alabaster and Hoover school systems made the top 50.

While compiling the rankings, Niche.com looked at state test scores, college readiness, graduation rates, SAT/ACT scores, teacher quality and high school ratings. The rankings were weighed heavily toward academic programs, followed by diversity, student and parent surveys and teacher rankings.

Spain Park High School was the top-ranked school from Shelby County on the list at No. 5, trailing only Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School in Montgomery, Bob Jones High School, Mountain Brook High School and Vestavia Hills High School.

Spain Park earned an overall grade of A-plus, and had grades of A-plus in academics, A in teachers, A-plus in clubs and activities, B-plus for diversity, A for college prep and A-plus for health and safety.

Oak Mountain High School came in at No. 15 on the list, earning an overall grade of A and earning grades of A in academics, B in teachers, A-minus in activities, C-plus for diversity, A for college prep and A for health and safety.

Coming in just behind Oak Mountain High School is Helena High School at No. 17. HHS earned an overall grade of A, and grades of A in academics, A-minus in teachers, A-minus in clubs and activities, B-minus in diversity and A-minus in college prep.

Thompson High School came in at No. 35 on the list, earning an overall grade of A-minus. THS posted a B-plus for academics, B-plus for teachers, B for clubs and activities, B-plus for diversity and B-plus for college prep.

Calera High School came in at No. 47 on the website’s list, earning an overall grade of B-plus. CHS earned an overall grade of B-plus, and posted grades of B in academics, B-minus for teachers, B-plus for clubs and activities, A-minus for diversity, B for college prep and B for health and safety.

To view the entire list, visit Niche.com/k12/search/best-public-high-schools/s/Alabama.