<p>My daughter called a little while ago and wanted to know how to find the list of state ranking of the public school systems. All she can find are list of individual schools by state or the top 100 in the country. What she needs to see is where New York ranks compared to Texas; ie what state is ranked #1 and what state is ranked #50.</p>
<p>She has been googling for over 30 minutes and I just spent 15 minutes also. Obviously we are not using the right words in the search. Can anyone help or know where to find this list? I thought I just read in the paper recently where our state fell, so I am assuming there has been a new list published.</p>
<p>The only help that I can offer is that Iowa & Wisconsin always seem to be ranked first & second for best public school educational systems in the country.</p>
<p>depends if what she is looking for is graduation rates, students that pass the NCLB tests,# of students that take AP tests, drop out rate ( which oddly enough is different than grad rate ), spending per student, teacher salary…</p>
<p>Tell her to contact her college library (preferably the education library if there is one campus. If not the UG library is fine.). She can ask in person, via email, or by phone. (Check the school’s library website for the contact info.) Most larger college libraries have reference services staffed 24/7. At some schools she can even text or IM the library for reference questions. I guarantee they will be happy to help her.</p>
<p>If she can’t reach her school library, she can try the IPL (Internet Public Library) or one of the ASK services (consortia of libraries that do internet reference 24/7): NJ Ask, Ask Colorado, Ask NYPL, and others. The Library of Congress also runs an ask reference service, but I’m not sure it’s staffed 24/7.</p>
<p>Librarians are there to help students with exactly these kinds of questions and they have access to materials & resources that you can’t find on Google.</p>
<p>Btw, I’m a librarian…but I have to admit I’m still training both D’s NOT to call mom with reference questions.</p>
<p>She looked at School Matters but didn’t see what she needed. She just wanted to see the lasted ranking of public schools by state. Usually there is an article in our local paper saying that we ranked #? and will list a few other states.</p>
<p>My kids (and friends) know I am the research queen, at least with google so I usually help everyone out. I will say she just called me to ask what key word she should use as she wasn’t getting what she wanted. She is working on a speech and she just needed a couple of facts to fill in with and was trying to get done tonight.</p>
<p>snowball - Rule #1 for research: Be sure the question can be answered BEFORE accepting the assignment!!!</p>
<p>That said … I believe that in this case the question is too broad and too ill-defined. In my own state there are public HS that send multiple students to Ivys each year – and other public HS that don’t send even one student to the state flagship. Does that make our public high schools great? or horrible?</p>
<p>There is an annual list ranking each state’s public school system. Iowa & Wisconsin are your best resources because they are always ranked #1 or #2. Usually carried by the AP & USA Today. Try “Iowa public school ranking” or “Wisconsin public school ranking”.</p>
<p>I’m not sure there is such a list. There is a list that is compiled regarding educational spending by the state…but that does not necessarily equate with quality. There are too many variables…every state has some excellent school districts and some truly crummy ones.</p>
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<p>Coldwind…I googled the above both separately (got the school rankings for districts within the states) and together (and got no hits at all).</p>
<p>The OP is looking for a list of the order of the best state to the worst state for education (k-12). I don’t think such a list exists.</p>
<p>This may be useful - it’s state profiles from the National Center for Education Statistics, and a comparison tool; I’ve not spent too much time playing with it, but I think you can compare states’ results for standardized tests in certain school grades: [NAEP</a> – State Profiles. Educational Assessments by State. Student demographics. School characteristics. State comparisons.](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/]NAEP”>State Profiles).</p>
<p>The DOEd/NCES site linked to in post 7 has a data tools option that ranks states by NAEP results. The key here, as in most statistical comparisons, is to define what is meant by “best!” Best results or best practices? Or something else? At least the NCES data are describable and valid.</p>
<p>thumper: The list exists. I see it every year in USAToday & in other major newspapers. Maybe a search of “USAToday education”. It may be based on SAT/ACT scores or % of students graduating/completing high school. I believe that it was based on standardized test scores such as ACT/SAT.</p>
<p>I have seen a list, but to be honest I really don’t know what the criteria is that makes one state #1 and another #30. I have never paid much attention to this list when I have seen it other than to know my state is near the bottom I would assume it has to do with the standardize testing done during the school year at certain grade levels. I guess our problem is not know who publishes this list. I am sure some time next week I will end up reading a newspaper article that gives this information; a day late, a dollar short!</p>
<p>Thumper you are right, we are looking for a list best to worst for K-12. I think my daughter has decided to go with some other figures she has found, but if someone see a list that is within a couple of years old, please pass it on. Comparing districts within a state, that she can find without a problem!</p>
I would assume it has to do with the standardize testing done during the school year at certain grade levels. I guess our problem is not know who publishes this list. I am sure some time next week I will end up reading a newspaper article that gives this information; a day late, a dollar short!</p>