Like other states in New England, Vermont has a long-running tradition of excellence in education. The state is home to a number of excellent universities and superb public school districts, so it's no surprise that on standardized tests Vermont students score above the national averages in nearly every subject and grade level. In a state with such a high standard of public education, a handful of public school districts truly distinguish themselves enough to be considered the best in the state 

The best school district in Vermont is Rutland City Public Schools, which comprises five schools, a technical center, and a special education campus in the city of Rutland, the 3rd largest in the state. Students of Rutland Senior High School are well ahead of the curve, which is reflected in the school’s 53% Advanced Placement participation rate. 

Earning the 2nd spot is South Burlington School District, consisting of three elementary schools, a middle school, and a high school in the city of South Burlington. The district has a great reputation for both its high academic performance and vital athletics and co-curricular programs. What’s more, SBSD students regularly best state and national averages in the SAT’s and other tests. 

Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District is the 3rd best school system in the state. Made up of nine total campuses, MMUUSD boasts a graduation rate of 94% that is higher than Vermont’s already-high statewide average. 

Placing 4th is Colchester School District, comprising two K-2 schools, one PreK-5 school, a middle school, and a high school with a total enrollment of around 2,100. Students of the district excel in academics and standardized testing, earning a mean composite ACT score of 23.6, which is nearly three points higher than the national average. 

Filling out Vermont’s top five public school systems is Hartford School District, which is headquartered in White River Junction and consists of five schools with a total enrollment of nearly 1800. The district does an excellent job of preparing students for post-secondary education, and many graduates go on to attend some of the most prestigious schools in the region. 

Top School Districts in Vermont, 2020

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.