Henderson's Pinecrest Academy Inspirada campus again leads U.S. News rankings of Nevada public K-8 schools

What happened

Pinecrest Academy of Nevada's Inspirada campus in Henderson is again one of the highest-rated public K-8 schools in the state, according to new rankings from U.S. News & World Report. The Las Vegas Sun reported that the rankings were released the same day as its report.

The school took first place in several statewide categories, repeating its showing from last year. The Sun also reported that most of the top 10 schools in all four statewide categories were in the Las Vegas area. For more coverage of local campuses, see our schools section.

How Pinecrest Inspirada placed

This year's results

According to the Sun, U.S. News named the Henderson school the best charter elementary school and the best overall elementary school in Nevada. It was also ranked the best charter middle school in the state. In the overall middle school category, it placed second statewide.

A repeat from last year

The strong finish is not new for the campus. The Sun reported that in last year's rankings, Pinecrest Inspirada was Nevada's No. 1 elementary school, No. 1 elementary charter and No. 1 middle charter. That makes this the second straight year it has led multiple statewide lists.

How U.S. News built the rankings

Test scores and student background

U.S. News based the placements on results from standardized state tests in reading and math, the Sun reported. Schools were judged on their raw performance. They were also judged on how students performed when socioeconomic factors were taken into account.

State and district lists only

This year's rankings were issued only at the state and district levels, according to the Sun. U.S. News did not publish national rankings this time. The publication refers to this edition as its 2027 rankings.

Eric Brooks, U.S. News director of education data analysis, said in a statement reported by the Sun that the updated method gives "families, educators and community leaders an even clearer view of academic achievement." He said using direct state data across all proficiency levels offers a fuller picture of how schools drive student growth.

Clark County School District standouts

Top CCSD elementary and middle schools

Among Clark County School District schools, Vassiliadis Elementary School ranked highest at the elementary level, the Sun reported. Rogich Middle was the district's highest-ranked junior high school. Pinecrest Inspirada, by contrast, is a charter school and appears on the charter lists as well as the overall lists.

Las Vegas area fills most top spots

U.S. News ranked schools in four statewide categories. In every one of them, the majority of the top 10 schools were from the Las Vegas area, according to the Sun. Families comparing options across the valley can also browse our neighborhood coverage.

Why the rankings matter to families

U.S. News presents the lists as a tool for parents, educators and community leaders. Brooks said in his statement that the approach is meant to help people identify standard-setting schools and support continued success for all students. Because the rankings rely on state reading and math test results, they reflect academic performance in those two subjects.

What to watch next

• The district-level rankings U.S. News released alongside the statewide lists, which rank schools within individual districts.
• The full statewide top 10 lists in all four categories, where the Sun reported most spots went to Las Vegas-area schools.