FOR THE THIRD straight year, Uni High has been named one of Newsweek’s “public elites” in the magazine’s annual listing of best American high schools.

Only 17 schools earned the distinction, down from 19 last year and 21 in 2006.

Public elites are those schools that did not make Newsweek’s larger list of 1,300 top public high schools simply because, in the magazine's words, “their students are too good.”

The larger list was compiled according to a ratio created by education reporter Jay Mathews. Newsweek sums it up this way: “the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school in 2007 divided by the number of graduating seniors.”

Mathews calls this the “Challenge Index.”

The purpose of the index, according to Newsweek, is to “recognize schools that challenge average students, and not magnet or charter schools that draw only the best students in their areas.” As a result, public schools such as Uni, which have selective admissions, are excluded from consideration.

But since that leaves out some very good schools, Newsweek created the concept of “public elites.” Uni has been on the list each year since 2006.

Below are the 2008 public elites, with links to their official Web sites. Newsweek’s comments about each school are included in quotation marks.

• Bergen County Academies
  Hackensack, N.J.
  “A collection of seven career-focused academies where students attend an extended school day.”

• Bronx Science
  New York City
  “Has one of the most diverse student bodies in the city; a comprehensive exam is required for admission.”

• High Technology High
  Lincroft, N.J.
  “Selective school whose students focus on a science, math and technology curriculum.”

• Hunter College High School
  New York City
  “College prep school that serves grades 7-12 and is tied to the City University of New York system.”

• Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
  Aurora, Ill.
  “A state-run residential program for 10th through 12th graders that has a strong mentorship program.”

• International Community School
  Kirkland, Wash.
  “Students are selected through an open lottery to attend this school that focuses on international awareness.”

• Jefferson County International Baccalaureate
  Irondale, Ala.
  “A small school on the edge of Birmingham where students begin taking AP courses in 10th grade and add IB courses to schedules as juniors and seniors.”

• Maggie Walker Governor's School for Government and International Studies
  Richmond, Va.
  “Selective school that fosters student's leadership skills as well as understanding of world cultures.”

• North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics
  Durham, N.C.
  “Opened in 1980 as the country's first public residential high school.”

• Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
  Oklahoma City
  “A state-funded residential high school that teaches all courses at university level.”

• South Carolina Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
  Hartsville, S.C.
  “A residential program for 11th and 12th graders that draws students from across the state.”

• Stuyvesant
  New York City
  “One of the most competitive schools in the city that offers around 55 AP courses every semester.”

• Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology
  Alexandria, Va.
  “Local businesses help raise money for the public school, as well as design curriculum.”

• Union County Magnet
  Scotch Plains, N.J.
  “Selective admission for a school that focuses on science, math and technology.”

• University
  Tucson, Ariz.
  “A magnet program that accepts students based on previous grades and an admittance exam.”

• UNIVERSITY LABORATORY
  Urbana, Ill.
  “Competitive admission for this day school on the University of Illinois campus.”

• Whitney
  Cerritos, Calif.
  “Focuses on college prep; class of 2007 earned more than $5 million in scholarships.”