Top School Districts in Arizona, 2021

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As one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, Arizona is constantly adding new school districts while adjusting existing ones. The constant change and upheaval mean that public school districts in the state do not perform as well as they could. However, a number of Arizona school districts truly excel in academics and other areas.

The best in the state is Catalina Foothills School District, made up of four elementary schools, two middle schools, a high school, and two specialty learning centers in the city of Tucson. CFSD’s students excel both academically and in extracurricular activities, each year earning a long list of achievements in just about every category.

Queen Creek Unified School District is the 2nd best in Arizona. Students of the large district of over 9,000 enrollment regularly earn scores significantly above state averages in the areas of language arts and math on state assessment tests. 

Ranking 3rd in Arizona is Sierra Vista Unified School District #68. Another large district with over 6,000 students, all eight of SVUSD schools hold a rating of “Highly Performing” or “Performing Plus” with the Arizona Learns system, and the district’s graduation rate is above the state average. 

Lake Havasu USD No. 1 earns the 4th spot in the ranking of Arizona’s public school districts. Encompassing eight schools in the Lake Havasu City area, the district boasts an above-average graduation rate and its students regularly outperform state and national averages in assessment tests such as the Iowa Test of Basic Skills and the SAT9.

Filling out Arizona’s top five is Sahuarita Unified Schools serving over 5,800 students of the towns of Sahuarita and Green Valley. The district’s high quality is reflected in its above-average graduation rate of 88%.

Top School Districts in Arizona, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Catalina Foothills Unified District (4410)Tucson
2Queen Creek Unified District (4245)Queen Creek
3Sierra Vista Unified District (4175)Sierra Vista
4Lake Havasu Unified District (4368)Lake Havasu City
5Sahuarita Unified District (4411)Sahuarita
6Snowflake Unified District (4391)Snowflake
7Humboldt Unified District (4469)Prescott Valley
8Buckeye Union High School District (4284)Buckeye
9Flowing Wells Unified District (4405)Tucson
10Prescott Unified District (4466)Prescott
11Avondale Elementary District (4272)Avondale
12Palominas Elementary District (4180)Hereford
13Thatcher Unified District (4219)Thatcher
14Fountain Hills Unified District (4247)Fountain Hills
15Saddle Mountain Unified School District (4254)Tonopah
16Joseph City Unified District (4388)Joseph City
17Maricopa Unified School District (4441)Maricopa
18Douglas Unified District (4174)Douglas
19Tanque Verde Unified District (4408)Tucson
20Valley Union High School District (4190)Elfrida
21St Johns Unified District (4153)Saint Johns
22Kingman Unified School District (79598)Kingman
23Santa Cruz Valley Unified District (4458)Rio Rico
24Morenci Unified District (4230)Morenci
25Safford Unified District (4218)Safford
26Yucca Elementary District (4377)Yucca
27St David Unified District (4173)Saint David
28Chino Valley Unified District (4474)Chino Valley
29Alpine Elementary District (4161)Alpine
30Kirkland Elementary District (4480)Kirkland
31Benson Unified School District (79226)Benson
32Colorado City Unified District (4370)Colorado City
33Patagonia Union High School District (4462)Patagonia
34Round Valley Unified District (4155)Springerville
35Aguila Elementary District (4249)Aguila
36Apache Junction Unified District (4443)Apache Junction
37Colorado River Union High School District (4381)Bullhead City
38Ajo Unified District (4409)Ajo
39Nadaburg Unified School District (4252)Wittmann
40Owens School District No.6 (4373)Wikieup
41Show Low Unified District (4393)Show Low
42Solomon Elementary District (4222)Solomon
43Continental Elementary District (4416)Green Valley
44Santa Cruz Elementary District (4459)Nogales
45Payson Unified District (4209)Payson
46Winslow Unified District (4387)Winslow
47Sedona-Oak Creek Jusd #9 (4467)Sedona
48Grand Canyon Unified District (4194)Grand Canyon Village
49Tombstone Unified District (4168)Tombstone
50Blue Ridge Unified School District No. 32 (4397)Lakeside
51Wickenburg Unified District (4236)Wickenburg
52Duncan Unified District (4228)Duncan
53Page Unified District (4196)Page
54Ganado Unified School District (4157)Ganado
55Tonto Basin Elementary District (4215)Tonto Basin
56Altar Valley Elementary District (4418)Tucson
57Miami Unified District (4211)Miami
58Mingus Union High School District (4488)Cottonwood
59Kayenta Unified School District #27 (4396)Kayenta
60Parker Unified School District (4510)Parker
61Pima Unified District (4220)Pima
62Globe Unified District (4208)Globe
63Bisbee Unified District (4169)Bisbee
64Mcneal Elementary District (4181)Mcneal
65Holbrook Unified District (4389)Holbrook
66Beaver Creek Elementary District (4481)Rimrock
67Mammoth-San Manuel Unified District (4439)San Manuel
68Camp Verde Unified District (4470)Camp Verde
69Maine Consolidated School District (4199)Parks
70Willcox Unified District (4170)Willcox
71Bagdad Unified District (4468)Bagdad
72Fredonia-Moccasin Unified District (4195)Fredonia
73Hayden-Winkelman Unified District (4212)Winkelman
74Williams Unified District (4193)Williams
75Double Adobe Elementary District (4179)Mcneal
76Tuba City Unified School District #15 (4197)Tuba City
77Oracle Elementary District (4444)Oracle
78Pinon Unified District (4390)Pinon
79Pima Accommodation District (4401)Tucson
80Naco Elementary District (4176)Naco
81Red Mesa Unified District (4159)Teec Nos Pos
82Coolidge Unified District (4442)Coolidge
83Gila Bend Unified District (4238)Gila Bend
84Antelope Union High School District (4506)Wellton
85Window Rock Unified District (4154)Fort Defiance
86Fort Thomas Unified District (4221)Fort Thomas
87Sanders Unified District (4156)Sanders

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

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Top School Districts in California, 2021

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California is a huge state of over 39.5 million people and nearly 1000 school districts, many of which are among the largest school districts in the country. Therefore, to be named one of the top public school districts in the state is a significant honor. Let’s take a closer look at five school districts that truly distinguished themselves among the Golden State’s many hundreds of school systems. 

The top public school district in California is Acalanes Union High School District, consisting of four high schools in Contra Costa County. Acalanes’ four schools are all accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and boast a tradition of exceptional academic performance: each ranks in the top 6 percent of high schools in California on the Academic Performance Index.  

Laguna Beach Unified is California’s 2nd best public high school district. The district’s Laguna Beach High School has earned AP Honor Roll designation for increasing AP access, and its students excel in areas outside of academics as well, indicated by 100% participation in arts and athletics. 

Earning the #3 spot is Piedmont Unified School District. The district is made up of seven schools in the city of Piedmont, which is completely surrounded by Oakland. PUSD students achieve some of the highest scores in the state on standardized tests, and over 95 percent of graduates go on to enroll in higher education.  

Like California’s top school district, #4 Los Gatos-Saratoga Union High School District is comprised solely of high schools in the San Jose area. Both of the district’s two schools are exceptional, boasting a 97% graduation rate and student test scores well above state averages in math and language arts. 

San Marino Unified School District is California’s 5th best school district. A small district compared to others on the list, SMUSD comprises two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. The district’s schools have earned numerous honors and recognitions, and all are Blue Ribbon Award winners?.

Top School Districts in California, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Acalanes Union HighLafayette
2Laguna Beach UnifiedLaguna Beach
3Piedmont City UnifiedPiedmont
4Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union HighLos Gatos
5San Marino UnifiedSan Marino
6Mountain View-Los Altos Union HighMountain View
7Albany City UnifiedAlbany
8Beverly Hills UnifiedBeverly Hills
9Carmel UnifiedCarmel
10Tamalpais Union HighLarkspur
11Lammersville Joint UnifiedMountain House
12Tahoe-Truckee UnifiedTruckee
13Scotts Valley UnifiedScotts Valley
14Jefferson Union HighDaly City
15Tulare Joint Union HighTulare
16Shasta Union HighRedding
17Centinela Valley Union HighLawndale
18Templeton UnifiedTempleton
19Sierra Sands UnifiedRidgecrest
20Martinez UnifiedMartinez
21Cotati-Rohnert Park UnifiedRohnert Park
22Windsor UnifiedWindsor
23Cutler-Orosi Joint UnifiedOrosi
24Santa Ynez Valley Union HighSanta Ynez
25Duarte UnifiedDuarte
26Santa Paula UnifiedSanta Paula
27Selma UnifiedSelma
28Center Joint UnifiedAntelope
29West Sonoma County Union HighSebastopol
30Nevada Joint Union HighGrass Valley
31Fowler UnifiedFowler
32Patterson Joint UnifiedPatterson
33Central Union HighEl Centro
34Ukiah UnifiedUkiah
35Newman-Crows Landing UnifiedNewman
36Golden Valley UnifiedMadera
37Escalon UnifiedEscalon
38Silver Valley UnifiedYermo
39Carpinteria UnifiedCarpinteria
40Northern Humboldt Union HighMckinleyville
41Mendocino UnifiedMendocino
42Kingsburg Joint Union HighKingsburg
43Bret Harte Union HighAngels Camp
44Del Norte County UnifiedCrescent City
45Mammoth UnifiedMammoth Lakes
46Sierra UnifiedPrather
47Holtville UnifiedHoltville
48Galt Joint Union HighGalt
49Fillmore UnifiedFillmore
50Sonoma Valley UnifiedSonoma
51Healdsburg UnifiedHealdsburg
52Firebaugh-Las Deltas UnifiedFirebaugh
53Durham UnifiedDurham
54Calaveras UnifiedSan Andreas
55Live Oak UnifiedLive Oak
56Lake Tahoe UnifiedSouth Lake Tahoe
57Wasco Union HighWasco
58Middletown UnifiedMiddletown
59Eureka City SchoolsEureka
60Muroc Joint UnifiedNorth Edwards
61San Rafael City HighSan Rafael
62Calistoga Joint UnifiedCalistoga
63Riverbank UnifiedRiverbank
64Bear Valley UnifiedBig Bear Lake
65Pierce Joint UnifiedArbuckle
66Anderson Union HighAnderson
67Delhi UnifiedDelhi
68Mariposa County UnifiedMariposa
69Scott Valley UnifiedFort Jones
70Lemoore Union HighLemoore
71Yosemite UnifiedOakhurst
72Gateway UnifiedRedding
73Oroville Union HighOroville
74Fortuna Union HighFortuna
75River Delta Joint UnifiedRio Vista
76Julian Union HighJulian
77North Monterey County UnifiedMoss Landing
78Caruthers UnifiedCaruthers
79East Nicolaus Joint Union HighNicolaus
80Hilmar UnifiedHilmar
81Riverdale Joint UnifiedRiverdale
82Corcoran Joint UnifiedCorcoran
83Bishop UnifiedBishop
84Waterford UnifiedWaterford
85Plumas UnifiedQuincy
86Coast UnifiedCambria
87Fallbrook Union HighFallbrook
88Lone Pine UnifiedLone Pine
89Colusa UnifiedColusa
90Chawanakee UnifiedNorth Fork
91Woodlake UnifiedWoodlake
92Yreka Union HighYreka
93Gustine UnifiedGustine
94Esparto UnifiedEsparto
95Lakeport UnifiedLakeport
96Golden Plains UnifiedSan Joaquin
97Calipatria UnifiedCalipatria
98Gridley UnifiedGridley
99Red Bluff Joint Union HighRed Bluff
100Anderson Valley UnifiedBoonville

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

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Top School Districts in Colorado, 2021

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The Colorado Board of Education recently approved a more difficult, rigorous rating system for schools in the state, which many believe will prompt a ratings decline for hundreds of schools. However, the Centennial State’s five best school districts perform so well that it’s unlikely that the ratings adjustment will affect them in a significant way. Let’s take a closer look at these five high-performing school districts. 

Lewis-Palmer School District #38 is the best school system in Colorado. Consisting of five elementary schools, one middle school and two high schools in El Paso County, LPSD exemplifies a well-rounded school district where extracurricular programs are just as important as academics. LPSD schools brought home multiple state championships in sports and other competitive activities during the 2018-2019 school year, while over 85% of the district’s graduates went on to a post-secondary education. 

Colorado’s 2nd best school district is Cheyenne Mountain School District 12, comprising nine schools in southwest Colorado Springs with a total enrollment of around 5,100. D12 students excel in academics, earning test scores which are some of the highest in the state, and like #1 LPSD, 85% of graduates went on to attend university. 

Placing 3rd is Weld RE-4 School District, encompassing eleven schools in the towns of Windsor and Severance.  Weld RE-4 boasts a graduation rate well above state and national averages.

Steamboat Springs School District Re-2 earns the 4th spot in the ranking. The district holds “Accredited with Distinction” status with the Colorado Department of Education and a number of its schools have received the prestigious John Irwin and Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Awards

Filling out the list of Colorado’s top five school systems is Summit School District, which serves over 3,500 students hailing from several mountain resort communities in Summit County. SSD boasts a favorable student-to-teacher ratio and a high graduation rate of 95%.

Top School Districts in Colorado, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Lewis-Palmer Consolidated School District No. 38 In The CoMonument
2Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12 In The County Of EColorado Springs
3Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-4Windsor
4Steamboat Springs School District No. Re 2Steamboat Springs
5Summit School District No. Re 1Frisco
6Delta County Joint District No. 50Delta
7Roaring Fork School District No. Re-1Glenwood Springs
8Weld County School District No. Re-2Eaton
9Weld County School District No. Re-7Kersey
10Montrose County School District Re-1JMontrose
11Telluride School District No. R-1Telluride
12Platte Canyon School District No. 1 Of The County Of ParkBailey
13Gunnison Watershed School District Re1JGunnison
14Durango School District No. 9-RDurango
15Weld County School District No. Re-5JMilliken
16East Grand School District No. 2Granby
17Meeker School District Re1Meeker
18Limon School District No. Re 4JLimon
19Eagle County School District No. Re 50Eagle
20Garfield School District No. Re-2Rifle
21Lone Star School District No. 101Otis
22Bayfield School District No. 10Jt-RBayfield
23Estes Park School District R-3Estes Park
24School District No. Re-3 Fort MorganFort Morgan
25School District No. Re-50 WigginsWiggins
26Kiowa County School District No. Re-1Eads
27Manitou Springs School District No. 14 In The County Of ElManitou Springs
28School District N. 14 In The County Of Adams & State Of ColoCommerce City
29School District No. Re-1 ValleySterling
30Peyton School District No. 23 In The County Of El Paso AndPeyton
31Woodland Park School District No. Re-2Woodland Park
32Strasburg School District 31JStrasburg
33Elizabeth School DistrictElizabeth
34Salida School District No. R-32Salida
35Gilpin County School District No. Re-1Black Hawk
36Clear Creek School District No. Re-1Idaho Springs
37Bennett School District No. 29JBennett
38North Conejos School District No. Re1JLa Jara
39Fremont Re-1Canon City
40Ridgway School District No. R-2 Of The County Of Ouray ARidgway
41Edison Joint District No. 54 Of The Counties Of El Paso AndYoder
42School District No. Re-2 BrushBrush
43Swink School District No. 33 In The County Of Otero And StSwink
44Buena Vista School District No. R-31Buena Vista
45Rocky Ford School District No. R2Rocky Ford
46Moffat County School District Re: No. 1Craig
47Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-1Gilcrest
48Sanford School District No. 6 In The County Of Conejos AndSanford
49Rangely School District Re4Rangely
50Big Sandy School District No. 100JSimla
51Mcclave School District No. Re-2Mc Clave
52Del Norte Consolidated School District No. C-7Del Norte
53Sargent School District No. Re-33JMonte Vista
54Park County School District No. Re-2Fairplay
55Weld County School District No. Re-9Ault
56Custer County School District Consolidate 1Westcliffe
57Alamosa School District No. Re-11JAlamosa
58Weld County School District Re-3JKeenesburg
59Archuleta County School District No. 50 JtPagosa Springs
60Wray Rd-2 School DistrictWray
61South Routt School District No. Re 3Oak Creek
62Norwood School District No. R-2JNorwood
63Holyoke School District No. Re-1JHolyoke
64Ellicott School District No. 22 In The County Of El Paso AEllicott
65East Otero School District No. R1La Junta
66Hoehne Reorganized School District No. 3Hoehne
67Mancos School District Re-6Mancos
68Hayden School District No. Re 1Hayden
69Fremont Re-2Florence
70Cheyenne County School District No. Re-5Cheyenne Wells
71Trinidad School District 1 In The County Of Las Animas AndTrinidad
72Crowley County School District No. Re-1-JOrdway
73Huerfano School District Re-1Walsenburg
74Haxtun School District No. Re-2JHaxtun
75Calhan District No. Rj1Calhan
76Weld County Reorganized School District No. Re-8Fort Lupton
77Yuma 1 School DistrictYuma
78West Grand School District No. 1Kremmling
79Sangre De Cristo School District No. Re-22JMosca
80School District No. Re-3 FrenchmanFleming
81Dolores School District No. Re-4ADolores
82Karval School District No. Re 23Karval
83Fowler School District No. R4JFowler
84Grand Valley School District No. 16 In The County Of GarfiParachute
85Akron School District No. R-1Akron
86Montezuma-Cortez School District No. Re-1Cortez
87Lamar School District No. Re-2Lamar
88Holly School District No. Re-3Holly
89Center Consolidated School District No. 26 Jt. Of The CountCenter
90Vilas School District Re-5Vilas
91School District No. C-2 In The County Of Elbert And State OfKiowa
92Manzanola Joint District No. 3J Of The Counties Of Otero AManzanola
93Wiley School District No. Re-13 JtWiley
94West End School District No. Re-2Nucla
95Sheridan School District No. 2Englewood
96School District No. Re-20 Weldon ValleyWeldona
97Monte Vista School District No. C-8Monte Vista
98Ignacio School District No. 11JtIgnacio
99Elbert School District No. 200Elbert
100Burlington Public School District No. Re-6JBurlington

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

Did your district make the list? Share the good news!

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Top School Districts in Connecticut, 2021

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Connecticut’s public school system is one of the best in the nation, with the state’s students earning test scores significantly higher than national averages while graduating at a rate of nearly 88%. While the state performs well overall, the achievements of Connecticut’s five best school districts are even more singularly impressive. 

Westport Public Schools is the best school district in Connecticut. The medium-sized district of nine schools in the oceanside community of Westport boasts a graduation rate of 98%, while over 80% of its students score above proficiency level in reading and language arts and math.

The 2nd best school district in Connecticut is Trumbull Public Schools, a system made of 10 schools with a total enrollment nearing 7,000. TPS students enjoy a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.1 and graduate at a rate of 97%.

Connecticut’s 3rd best school system is Darien Public School District, made up of seven schools in the community of Darien. A large majority of students in the district score above proficiency in RLA and math, while Darien High School has earned a “Best High School” medal from U.S. News.  

Earning Connecticut’s #4 spot is Glastonbury Public Schools, comprising eight schools in the affluent Hartford suburb of Glastonbury. The district does a great job of preparing students for a post-secondary education, and a remarkable 92.8% of 2019 graduates went on to attend a two or four-year college. 

Wilton Public Schools places 5th in the ranking of Connecticut’s best school districts. In 2019, Wilton schools earned a long list of achievements, including a GreatSchools College Success Award for Wilton High School. 

Top School Districts in Connecticut, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Westport School DistrictWestport
2Trumbull School DistrictTrumbull
3Darien School DistrictDarien
4Glastonbury School DistrictGlastonbury
5Wilton School DistrictWilton
6Ridgefield School DistrictRidgefield
7Guilford School DistrictGuilford
8Farmington School DistrictFarmington
9Simsbury School DistrictSimsbury
10Cheshire School DistrictCheshire
11Avon School DistrictAvon
12Southington School DistrictSouthington
13Regional School District 05Woodbridge
14South Windsor School DistrictSouth Windsor
15Monroe School DistrictMonroe
16Shelton School DistrictShelton
17Milford School DistrictMilford
18Madison School DistrictMadison
19Rocky Hill School DistrictRocky Hill
20New Fairfield School DistrictNew Fairfield
21Regional School District 15Middlebury
22Wethersfield School DistrictWethersfield
23Berlin School DistrictBerlin
24East Lyme School DistrictEst Lyme
25Regional School District 17Higganum
26Newington School DistrictNewington
27Regional School District 10Burlington
28Canton School DistrictCanton
29Tolland School DistrictTolland
30Bethel School DistrictBethel
31Waterford School DistrictWaterford
32Regional School District 06Litchfield
33Brookfield School DistrictBrookfield
34Wallingford School DistrictWallingford
35Colchester School DistrictColchester
36East Hampton School DistrictEast Hampton
37Regional School District 04Deep River
38Ellington School DistrictEllington
39Regional School District 08Hebron
40Middletown School DistrictMiddletown
41Stratford School DistrictStratford
42Coventry School DistrictCoventry
43Wolcott School DistrictWolcott
44Branford School DistrictBranford
45Granby School DistrictGranby
46Bolton School DistrictBolton
47Oxford School DistrictOxford
48Old Saybrook School DistrictOld Saybrook
49Regional School District 07Winsted
50Watertown School DistrictWatertown
51Enfield School DistrictEnfield
52East Haddam School DistrictMoodus
53Regional School District 16Prospect
54Stonington School DistrictOld Mystic
55Regional School District 14Woodbury
56Ledyard School DistrictLedyard
57East Granby School DistrictEast Granby
58Suffield School DistrictSuffield
59Regional School District 19Storrs
60Seymour School DistrictSeymour
61Groton School DistrictMystic
62Portland School DistrictPortland
63Cromwell School DistrictCromwell
64Naugatuck School DistrictNaugatuck
65East Hartford School DistrictEast Hartford
66North Stonington School DistrNorth Stonington
67North Branford School DistricNorthford
68Manchester School DistrictManchester
69Lebanon School DistrictLebanon
70Plainville School DistrictPlainville
71Somers School DistrictSomers
72New Milford School DistrictNew Milford
73Griswold School DistrictGriswold
74Thomaston School DistrictThomaston
75West Haven School DistrictWest Haven
76Stafford School DistrictStafford Springs
77Plainfield School DistrictPlainfield
78Plymouth School DistrictTerryville
79Killingly School DistrictDanielson
80Montville School DistrictOakdale
81Vernon School DistrictVernon
82East Haven School DistrictEast Haven
83Torrington School DistrictTorrington
84Windham School DistrictWillimantic
85Ansonia School DistrictAnsonia
86Derby School DistrictDerby
87New London School DistrictNew London
88Thompson School DistrictNorth Grosvenord

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

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Top School Districts in Delaware, 2021

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Though public education in Delaware isn’t quite at the level of its neighbors Maryland and New Jersey, the state is nevertheless among the best in the nation. In 2018, the Delaware high school graduation rate hit a record high of 86.69%, besting the 2017 number, which was also an all-time high. Performance at Delaware’s five best school districts bests the already high state standard. 

Cape Henlopen School District is the top public school system in Delaware.  Consisting of eight schools located in the scenic southern cape region of Delaware Bay, CHSD boasts a graduation rate of 91% that bests state and national averages, while nearly 66% of its students are proficient in English language arts. 

Caesar Rodney School District places a close 2nd in the rankings. Headquartered in Wyoming, Delaware, CRSD and its schools have earned a long list of achievements and academic recognitions, including three Blue Ribbon awards. 

Delaware's 3rd best public school district is Sussex Technical School District, consisting of a single county-wide technical public high school. Sussex Tech does an excellent job of preparing students for the future, allowing them to choose between 21 different trades of specialization.

Smyrna School District earns the 4th spot in the rankings. SSD’s eight schools all perform above the state level in proficiency tests, and 97% of SSD seniors graduated in 2018. 93% of them went on to a post-secondary education.  

Delaware’s 5th best school district is Kent County’s Polytech School District, which includes Polytech High School and the Polytech adult education program.  Like #3 Sussex Technical, Polytech puts students on the path of future success by giving them a specialized education in 1 of 21 technical fields

Top School Districts in Delaware, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Cape Henlopen School DistrictLewes
2Caesar Rodney School DistrictWyoming
3Sussex Technical School DistrictGeorgetown
4Smyrna School DistrictSmyrna
5Polytech School DistrictWoodside
6New Castle County Vocational-Technical School DistrictWilmington
7Lake Forest School DistrictFelton
8Capital School DistrictDover
9Delmar School DistrictDelmar
10Milford School DistrictMilford
11Seaford School DistrictSeaford
12Laurel School DistrictLaurel
13Woodbridge School DistrictBridgeville

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

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Top School Districts in Florida, 2021

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Florida is often considered one of the best states in the nation for higher education, and its public school system is not far behind. While its excellent universities may receive the most national attention, its top public school districts perform at an elite level that places them among the best in the United States.

Wakulla County School District is the top public school system in Florida.  Headquartered in Crawfordville, WCSD consists of four elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school and one charter school. Wakulla students consistently score above state and national averages in assessment tests like the ACT, while the district routinely earns an “A” grade from the Florida Department of Education. 

Placing 2nd in Florida is Gilchrist County School District, which is a small district by Florida standards, comprising four schools with a total enrollment of 2700. GCSD boasts a high school graduation rate of 90% and 70% of its students are proficient in math. 

Suwannee County School District earns Florida’s #3 spot. Once a troubled district, SCSD is on a continuing path of improvement, recently earning an all-time high score from the Florida Department of Education. 

Florida’s 4th best school district is Hendry County District Schools, which is headquartered  in the city of Labell and comprises ten schools and one early learning center. The district’s Clewiston High School recently achieved its highest graduation rate in history. 

Rounding out the list of Florida’s top five school districts is Dixie District Schools, headquartered in the small town of Cross City. The rural district consists of two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. DDS is recognized as a Florida Healthy School District

Top School Districts in Florida, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1WakullaCrawfordville
2GilchristTrenton
3SuwanneeLive Oak
4HendryLabelle
5DixieCross City
6BakerMacclenny
7JacksonMarianna
8LevyBronson
9LafayetteMayo
10OkeechobeeOkeechobee
11GulfPort St Joe
12CalhounBlountstown
13UnionLake Butler
14HardeeWauchula
15WashingtonChipley
16LibertyBristol
17MadisonMadison
18HolmesBonifay
19BradfordStarke
20TaylorPerry
21GladesMoore Haven
22FranklinEastpoint
23DesotoArcadia
24HamiltonJasper

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

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Top School Districts in Georgia, 2021

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Like other states in the Southeast, Georgia’s public schools lag slightly behind compared to those in other regions of the country. However, public education in the state is steadily improving, with the state graduation rate regularly hitting all-time peaks, year after year. While this is good news for Georgia, the performance of the state’s best districts far puts them in an elite class of their own.

Buford City Schools is the best school district in Georgia. Comprising four schools in Gwinnett County, BCS has long been considered one of the highest performing districts in the state, both in academics and extracurriculars. Four Buford schools hold an “A” grade from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. 

Ranking 2nd is the City Schools of Decatur, a public charter school district of 10 schools in Dekalb County with a total enrollment of around 5,600 students. On standardized tests, students of the district outperform state and national averages in all grade levels, while Decatur High School was named a Georgia AP Challenge and AP Merit school. 

Georgia’s 3rd best school district is Jefferson City Schools, a small district of four schools based in Jackson County. JCS schools perform at a high level and have earned numerous awards and recognitions, including a 2018 Highest-Performing Title-I Reward School honor for Jefferson Academy. 

Harris County School District earns 4th place among Georgia public school districts. The accredited district consists of seven schools and a performance learning center based in Hamilton. HCSD’s graduation rate of 93% is over 10 points higher than the statewide rate. 

Closing out the list of Georgia’s five best school districts is Bremen City Schools, comprising three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school in Haralson County. All of the district’s schools earned either an “A” or “B” grade from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. 

Top School Districts in Georgia, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Buford CityBuford
2City Schools Of DecaturDecatur
3Jefferson CityJefferson
4Harris CountyHamilton
5Bremen CityBremen
6Lee CountyLeesburg
7Habersham CountyClarkesville
8Dawson CountyDawsonville
9Calhoun CityCalhoun
10Gordon CountyCalhoun
11White CountyCleveland
12Union CountyBlairsville
13Pierce CountyBlackshear
14Cartersville CityCartersville
15Laurens CountyDublin
16Madison CountyDanielsville
17Murray CountyChatsworth
18Ware CountyWaycross
19Heard CountyFranklin
20Rome CityRome
21Carrollton CityCarrollton
22Monroe CountyForsyth
23Pickens CountyJasper
24Gilmer CountyEllijay
25Chickamauga CityChickamauga
26Fannin CountyBlue Ridge
27Hart CountyHartwell
28Rabun CountyClayton
29Morgan CountyMadison
30Lumpkin CountyDahlonega
31Trion CityTrion
32Bleckley CountyCochran
33Wayne CountyJesup
34Jones CountyGray
35Decatur CountyBainbridge
36Thomas CountyThomasville
37Social Circle CitySocial Circle
38Banks CountyHomer
39Burke CountyWaynesboro
40Stephens CountyToccoa
41Thomaston-Upson CountyThomaston
42Haralson CountyBuchanan
43Franklin CountyCarnesville
44Dodge CountyEastman
45Seminole CountyDonalsonville
46Berrien CountyNashville
47Baldwin CountyMilledgeville
48Brantley CountyNahunta
49Jeff Davis CountyHazlehurst
50Putnam CountyEatonton
51Pike CountyZebulon
52Commerce CityCommerce
53Candler CountyMetter
54Oglethorpe CountyLexington
55Appling CountyBaxley
56Towns CountyHiawassee
57Crisp CountyCordele
58Washington CountySandersville
59Vidalia CityVidalia
60Long CountyLudowici
61Schley CountyEllaville
62Dade CountyTrenton
63Wilcox CountyAbbeville
64Wilkinson CountyIrwinton
65Sumter CountyAmericus
66Lamar CountyBarnesville
67Butts CountyJackson
68Peach CountyFort Valley
69Tattnall CountyReidsville
70Elbert CountyElberton
71Chattooga CountySummerville
72Mitchell CountyCamilla
73Worth CountySylvester
74Cook CountyAdel
75Greene CountyGreensboro
76Grady CountyCairo
77Atkinson CountyPearson
78Bacon CountyAlma
79Montgomery CountyMt. Vernon
80Emanuel CountySwainsboro
81Meriwether CountyGreenville
82Telfair CountyMcrae
83Chattahoochee CountyCusseta
84Lincoln CountyLincolnton
85Toombs CountyLyons
86Johnson CountyWrightsville
87Echols CountyStatenville
88Marion CountyBuena Vista
89Early CountyBlakely
90Irwin CountyOcilla
91Thomasville CityThomasville
92Lanier CountyLakeland
93Terrell CountyDawson
94Clinch CountyHomerville
95Jefferson CountyLouisville
96Mcduffie CountyThomson
97Wilkes CountyWashington
98Pulaski CountyHawkinsville
99Glascock CountyGibson
100Dublin CityDublin

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

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Top School Districts in Idaho, 2021

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For several years straight, Idaho has been the fastest-growing state in the country. The influx of new residents into the state poses a concern for many of Idaho’s public school districts, forcing them to rezone district boundaries or open new schools. However, having to manage new students has not affected the quality of Idaho’s five best school districts, which continue to perform at a high level. 

Post Falls School District is the best public school system in Idaho. Comprising ten schools (with a new elementary school set to open in Fall 2020) in and around Post Falls, a city near the state’s border with Washington, PFSD boasts a 95% graduation rate and has earned six state championships within the last five years. 

Placing 2nd in Idaho is Jefferson Joint School District, a medium-sized district of six elementary schools, one middle school, and two high schools headquartered in the city of Rigby. The expanding district maintains an above-average graduation rate and offers Spanish and Chinese immersion programs to its students. 

Idaho’s 3rd best school district is Madison School District, which is headquartered in Rexburg and comprises ten schools and an online academy. Students of the district have the highest ISAT scores in South Eastern Idaho, and Madison High School is one of only two Idaho schools to be named to the National AP Honor Roll.  

#4 Blaine County School District is made up of 8 schools serving an enrollment of around 3,400 students. The district’s diverse student body consistently performs above the state average on the ISAT and STAR tests.  

The 5th best school district in Idaho is Lakeland Joint School District, which consists of six elementary schools, two junior highs, and three high schools. Like many districts in Idaho, LJSD is growing at a fast rate, yet it has successfully maintained its high academic performance and focus on extracurricular activities. 

Top School Districts in Idaho, 2020

RankSchool DistrictCity
1Post Falls DistrictPost Falls
2Jefferson County Joint DistrictRigby
3Madison DistrictRexburg
4Blaine County DistrictHailey
5Lakeland DistrictRathdrum
6Mccall-Donnelly Joint School DistrictMccall
7West Side Joint DistrictDayton
8Troy School DistrictTroy
9Cassia County Joint DistrictBurley
10Lake Pend Oreille School DistrictPonderay
11Lewiston Independent DistrictLewiston
12Sugar-Salem Joint DistrictSugar City
13Moscow DistrictMoscow
14Kuna Joint DistrictKuna
15Middleton DistrictMiddleton
16Marsh Valley Joint DistrictArimo
17Parma DistrictParma
18Shelley Joint DistrictShelley
19Cottonwood Joint DistrictCottonwood
20Mountain Home DistrictMountain Home
21Grace Joint DistrictGrace
22Ririe Joint DistrictRirie
23Kimberly DistrictKimberly
24Boundary County DistrictBonners Ferry
25Caldwell DistrictCaldwell
26Preston Joint DistrictPreston
27Fremont County Joint DistrictSt Anthony
28Blackfoot DistrictBlackfoot
29Snake River DistrictBlackfoot
30New Plymouth DistrictNew Plymouth
31Genesee Joint DistrictGenesee
32Fruitland DistrictFruitland
33Soda Springs Joint DistrictSoda Springs
34Melba Joint DistrictMelba
35Homedale Joint DistrictHomedale
36Bear Lake County DistrictParis
37Teton County DistrictDriggs
38Jerome Joint DistrictJerome
39Emmett Independent DistrictEmmett
40Weiser DistrictWeiser
41Minidoka County Joint DistrictRupert
42Kellogg Joint DistrictKellogg
43West Jefferson DistrictTerreton
44Marsing Joint DistrictMarsing
45Aberdeen DistrictAberdeen
46St Maries Joint DistrictSt Maries
47Oneida County DistrictMalad City
48Filer DistrictFiler
49Kendrick Joint DistrictKendrick
50Mountain View School DistrictGrangeville
51Firth DistrictFirth
52Wallace DistrictSilverton
53Notus DistrictCaldwell
54American Falls Joint DistrictAmerican Falls
55Rockland DistrictRockland
56Richfield DistrictRichfield
57West Bonner County DistrictPriest River
58Potlatch DistrictPotlatch
59Valley DistrictHazelton
60Gooding Joint DistrictGooding
61North Gem DistrictBancroft
62Horseshoe Bend School DistrictHorseshoe Bend
63Butte County Joint DistrictArco
64Lapwai DistrictLapwai
65Glenns Ferry Joint DistrictGlens Ferry
66South Lemhi DistrictLeadore
67Salmon DistrictSalmon
68Kamiah Joint DistrictKamiah
69Buhl Joint DistrictBuhl
70Hagerman Joint DistrictHagerman
71Wendell DistrictWendell
72Payette Joint DistrictPayette
73Culdesac Joint DistrictCuldesac
74Shoshone Joint DistrictShoshone

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.

Did your district make the list? Share the good news!

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