With over 20,000 high schools in the United States, the school ranked number 80, 86, 112, 109th, 100th, 439th, and 1,721st in Newsweek's 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2012, and 2013 respectively, lists of the top high schools. The Challenge Index ranks schools by the number of AP and IB tests taken by students at a school in 2002 divided by the number of graduating seniors. 323 students at Bellaire High School in the 2004–2005 academic year earned the designation of AP Scholar by the College Board in recognition of their achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program Exams.