When we we're looking for a HS for my daughter the selective public schools were weirdly like that. They tended to pound the kids with little to no hand holding - I likened it to tossing the kids into the deep end of the pool and shouting advice to them about how to swim.

The private schools would get the kids to the same place but they'd toss tons of resources at any kid who needed it to get them to that place. Unless the kid was disciplinary; in that case they'd show 'em the door.

Rock bottom was the non-selective public schools. I don't think it was that they didn't care it was ended up with a lot of kids that those first two groups wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Not just kids who didn't want to be in school (which would be tricky) but one's who's parents didn't care if they were in school. That enough trouble that it creates trouble for the kids who want to be there.