By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

Several private schools in Shelby County are among the best in Alabama, according to a list recently released by the national ranking website Niche.com.

Multiple private schools placed in the top 50 of the website’s 2019 list of the “Best Private Schools in Alabama,” which was compiled “based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education.”

Each school’s grade was based 30 percent on composite SAT/ACT score, 25 percent was based on which colleges students are most interested in attending, 15 percent was based on percentage of students who go on to a four-year college and 10 percent each on culture and diversity grade, parent and student surveys and student-teacher ratios.

Indian Springs School maintained its spot as the top private school in Alabama, earning an overall Niche.com grade of A+, and grades of A+ in academics, A+ in teachers, A+ in clubs and activities, A- for diversity, A+ for college prep and B for sports.

The Westminster School at Oak Mountain off Alabama 119 came in at No. 9 on the list earning an overall Niche.com grade of A+. Westminster earned grades of A+ in academics, A- in teachers, A- in clubs and activities, C+ in diversity, A in college prep and B for sports.

Briarwood Christian School in North Shelby came in at No. 16 on the list, earning an overall Niche.com grade of A, and grades of A for Academics, B for teachers, B- for clubs and activities, A for college prep and A for sports.

Alabaster’s Evangel Classical Christian School followed closely behind at No. 21 on the list, earning an overall Niche.com grade of A. ECCS earned grades of A for academics, B for teachers, A- for clubs and activities, C for diversity, A- for college prep and B- for sports.

Kingwood Christian School, also in Alabaster, came in at No. 44 on the website’s list, earning an overall Niche.com grade of B+. Kingwood earned grades of A- for academics, C+ for teachers, C for clubs and activities, B- for diversity, B for college prep and C+ for sports.

To view the entire list, visit Niche.com/k12/search/best-private-schools/s/alabama.