A new ranking places Virginia’s public education system as the ninth best in the nation.
Consumer Affairs rated the states based on four categories: K-12 academic outcomes, school funding and resources, higher education, and school safety. Virginia dropped two spots; it ranked seventh on last year’s list.
Virginia scored high marks for K-12 academic outcomes, ranking No. 6 in the nation, and was No. 9 for higher education. However, the state ranked at No. 30 for school safety, and for school funding it was No. 16.
Consumer Affairs based the ranking on data from a variety of sources. They include the National Center for Education Statistics, College Board, ACT, Gun Violence Archive, Department of Education, and U.S. Census Bureau.
State Rankings
Massachusetts topped this year’s list. The state posts top reading and math scores in both fourth and eighth grade, and its high school graduation rate of 90% is the second highest in the country. The state spends around $29,789 per K-12 student, the fourth most of any state, and teacher pay is the fourth highest nationally.
New York ranked No. 2 and Connecticut was No. 3, followed by New Jersey (No. 4) and Washington (No.5).
“States with stronger tax bases, fewer socioeconomic barriers and a long history of investing in public education often have an advantage,” Tameka Royal, CEO of Democracy Prep Public Schools, a New York City-based nonprofit charter school management company, said in a statement. “Those investments compound, which is one reason we often see the same states performing well year after year.”
Arizona ranked at the bottom of the state list. Consumer Affairs rated the K-12 academic outcomes and school funding categories at 49th and 50th, respectively. The state has the lowest high school graduation rate in the nation and most crowded classrooms. The amount Arizona spent per K-12 student is also among the lowest nationally.
Alaska’s public education system was ranked the second worst, followed by Idaho.
“It’s important to remember that statewide averages don’t capture every local experience. A single school or district within any of these states could be far outperforming its statewide average,” Consumer Affairs said. “A weak overall ranking doesn’t mean a state is weak everywhere.”
Feature image, Syda Productions/stock.adobe.com
