Vermont Education Ranking: A Comprehensive Analysis

Securing a child’s academic success begins with choosing the right schools. For many families, public education is the only option. The quality of public school systems varies widely from state to state, though, and is often a question of funding. Public elementary and secondary education money usually flows from three sources: the federal, state, and local governments.

Evaluating Public School Systems

Unlike other research that focuses primarily on academic outcomes or school finance, a comprehensive approach accounts for performance, funding, safety, class size, and instructor credentials. Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success. How funds are applied also plays a big role in how good a school system is, as does the quality of educators, other professionals, and the curriculum.

WalletHub ranked each state’s public schools for “Quality” and “Safety” using 33 relevant metrics. Metrics included high school graduation rate among low-income students, math and reading scores, median SAT and ACT scores, pupil-teach ratio, the share of armed students, the number of school shootings between 2000 and June 2020, bullying incidence rate, and more.

Top States for Public Education

Several states consistently rank high in public education quality and safety.

Massachusetts: Massachusetts is the state with the best school systems, boasting some of the best test scores in the country. Students at the high school level also do well, as Massachusetts has the highest share of students in the country who received a score of 3 or better on an AP exam. In addition, schools in Massachusetts are generally safe. 48.8% of Massachusetts’s eligible schools ranked in the top 25% of high school rankings, a total of 167 schools. Massachusetts also has one of the lowest bullying incidence rates in the country and is considered one of the best states for teachers.
Connecticut: Connecticut ranks second in the nation for public schools, ranking second for quality and 19th for safety. Connecticut students have the highest median ACT score of 25.5 and have the third-highest reading test scores. In addition, around 6.6% of Connecticut public schools are in the top 700 public schools nationwide, the sixth-highest percentage in the country. On top of that, the state has the third-highest share of students who received a 3 or higher on an AP exam. Another area where Connecticut stands out is safety. The Constitution State is one of only 17 states that require regular audits of school safety. Connecticut spends about $18,958 per student, one of the highest per-pupil costs in the country.
New Jersey: New Jersey has the third-best school systems in the country. It has a dedicated digital learning plan that supports technology integration in education. When it comes to test results, New Jersey has the second-best reading test scores and fifth-best math scores for both fourth and eighth graders. New Jersey has the second-lowest dropout rate among states and the third-lowest pupil-to-teacher ratio. Additionally, students have the third-highest math test scores and the second-highest reading test scores in the nation. New Jersey ranks second for the overall quality of schools and 11th for safety. The state spends about $21,866 per student on average.
Virginia: Virginia has the fourth-best public schools overall in the United States, ranking fourth for quality and third for safety. Virginia public schools were found to have the fourth-highest math test scores in the country.
New Hampshire: New Hampshire has the fifth-best public schools in the United States, ranking fourth for quality and twelfth for safety. New Hampshire schools have the fourth-highest reading test scores among states and the second-highest median ACT score of 25.1.
Maryland: The sixth-best state for public schools is Maryland. Maryland’s average ACT score is 22.3, and its average SAT score is 1058.
Delaware: Ranking seventh for public schools is Delaware, which ranks sixteenth for quality and third for safety. Delaware has the second-lowest bullying incident rate, only second to D.C.
Nebraska: At the eighth spot for states with the best public schools is Nebraska.
Minnesota: The state ranks sixth for quality, tying with Minnesota for the highest median SAT score.

Spotlight on Vermont's Education System

Vermont's verdant valleys and mountains - bordered by Canada to the north, New York to the west, Massachusetts to the south and New Hampshire to the east - were settled by both the British and French early in the 18th century. After the French were defeated in the French and Indian War, Vermonters declared their independence from England separately from the original 13 colonies - though the Continental Congress did not recognize this separation.

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Among Vermont’s most famous contributions to the American Revolution is the “Green Mountain Boys,’’ a band of patriots led by Ethan Allen who formed a militia to fight in the war and later became some of the founding fathers of the state.

Vermont has the fifth-best public schools in the nation. Vermont ranks eighth for quality, having the lowest pupil-to-teacher ratio in the country, allowing teachers to give each student extra attention. is 16-to-1, while Vermont’s is 10.5-to-1.

Vermont Overview:

Area: 9,615 sq. mi.
GDP: $45.7 Billion
College Educated: 52.5%
Population: 648,493
Capital: Montpelier
Median Income: $46,413

States with the Worst Public Schools

On the opposite end, the five states with the worst public schools are New Mexico, Alaska, Louisiana, Arizona, and West Virginia.

Key Metrics and Rankings:

To provide a clearer picture of the educational landscape, here's a breakdown of specific metrics and their corresponding state rankings:

Dropout Rate:

Lowest: 1. West Virginia, 2. Tennessee, 3. Wisconsin, T-4. Kentucky, T-4. Massachusetts
Highest: T-47. Idaho, T-47. Alaska, T-47. Arizona, T-47. New Mexico, T-47. District of Columbia

Math Test Scores:

Highest: 1. Massachusetts, 2. Utah, 3. Minnesota, 4. New Hampshire, 5. New Jersey
Lowest: 47. Arkansas, 48. West Virginia, 49. District of Columbia, 50. Alaska, 51. New Mexico

Reading Test Scores:

Highest: 1. Massachusetts, 2. New Jersey, 3. Colorado, 4. New Hampshire, 5. Connecticut
Lowest: 47. Delaware, 48. Oklahoma, 49. West Virginia, 50. Alaska, 51. New Mexico

Median SAT Score:

Highest: 1. Iowa, T-2. Kansas, T-2. Wyoming, 4. North Dakota, T-5. Nebraska, T-5. Utah
Lowest: 47. Delaware, 48. Florida, 49. West Virginia, 50. District of Columbia, 51. New Mexico

Median ACT Score:

Highest: T-1. California, T-1. Connecticut, T-1. District of Columbia, T-4. Massachusetts, T-4. New Hampshire
Lowest: T-44. Louisiana, T-44. Mississippi, T-44. North Carolina, T-49. Arizona, T-49. Nevada, T-49. Oklahoma

Pupil-Teacher Ratio:

Lowest: 1. Vermont, 2. District of Columbia, 3. Maine, 4. New Hampshire, 5. New York
Highest: 47. Florida, 48. Utah, 49. Nevada, 50. California, 51. Arizona

% of Threatened/Injured High School Students:

Lowest: 1. Delaware, 2. California, 3. North Carolina, 4. Maine, 5. Massachusetts
Highest: T-40. Idaho, T-40. Texas, 42. Kansas, 43. Alabama, 44. Mississippi, 45. Louisiana

Bullying Incidence Rate:

Lowest: 1. District of Columbia, 2. Delaware, 3. Hawaii, 4. Rhode Island, 5. Virginia
Highest: 44. Iowa, 45. Wyoming, 46. New Hampshire, 47. West Virginia, 48. Massachusetts

The Importance of Public Education

Finding the best public school is a priority for many families. There are about 51 million public school students in the United States. While far from perfect, public schools play a vital role in their respective communities. Public schools improve their communities and the welfare of children. Public schools welcome all children, no matter their income level, disability, or previous academic performance. Many schools provide school meals, which helps children from food-insecure families get nutritious food every day.

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