As one of the first 13 U.S. colonies, and the home of Independence Hall, where both the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were drafted, Pennsylvania has a long running legacy of direct involvement in American politic events. Today, the state ranks 11th in the nation in Pre-K-12 education, according to U.S. News & World Report.

Pennsylvania’s best school district is South Fayette Township School District, a small system of four schools serving the Pittsburgh suburb that lends it its name. The district has consistently exceeded statewide expectations of academic achievement, indicated by the high test scores achieved in all of South Fayette’s schools.

Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, serving parts of Chester and Delaware Counties, ranks #2. UCFSD’s achievements are remarkable; its students consistently test in the top 1% of Pennsylvania, and the graduation rate nears 100%.

Third in the ranking is Lower Merion School District of Montgomery County, PA. One of the wealthiest districts in both the state and country, overall, LMSD takes advantage of its generous funding by performing well in every academic measure.

Radnor Township School District ranks #4. The district has a reputation for academic excellence, with graduation rates regularly topping 98%.

Closing out Pennsylvania’s top five schools is Upper Dublin School District, a system of six schools that was the first in the state to receive K-12 paradigmatic accreditation through the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Methodology

The following contributed to the ranking: student performance (math and reading test scores), dropout rates, school funding, and area poverty rates. Data was collected from a total of 9,577 school districts.

Did your district make the list?