After all the fuss over a new state law (which could leave teachers who receive two consecutive “ineffective” ratings without tenure, and possibly their jobs), it turns out Colorado has some pretty good high schools. That’s according to a Newsweek report on America’s best 1,622 schools. Most of the 29 local picks are in the Denver area, but they’re not exactly topping the list.

The top-ranked school in Denver is East High, 501st on the list, notes the Denver Business Journal. Peak to Peak Charter in Lafayette tops all local schools at 35th.

The rankings are based on the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge tests given, divided by the number of graduating seniors. The top-ranked school in the nation is Talented and Gifted High School of Dallas.

Students in Colorado will need to perform well, warns a new study from Georgetown University. The state ranks fifth in the nation for the percentage of jobs that will require at least some higher education, meaning Colorado will need more than two million workers who fulfill that requirement in the coming eight years, reports Longmont’s Daily Times-Call.