Skip to Content

The best school district in every state


Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

The best school district in every state

Kids boarding a school bus.

Between parental politics, after-school programs, and PTA meetings, navigating school districts can be hard—and choosing the district that is best for your child is even harder.

Stacker analyzed 2022 data from Niche to calculate the best school district in every state. Niche rankings rely on statistics from the U.S. Department of Education, SAT/ACT scores, college readiness, teacher quality, and graduation rates. Of course, ratings are one thing and experiences are another, which is why it’s always smart to research and learn about the families, teachers, and students in a given district before deciding something as important as moving based on a particular school.

Various districts prioritize funding for different programs, and some have more of a knack for hiring and retaining nurturing teachers. For some districts, it seems to be a numbers game, without any thought regarding the learning environment. Still, other districts encourage kids to explore passions and make friends but are lagging academically. A top school district isn’t just one or the other; it’s a combination of factors parents must weigh when considering a new district.

Keep reading to see how your district stacks up, or to help narrow your search for where you plan to move and raise a family.

You may also like: How student debt has grown in every state



A3pfamily // Shutterstock

Alabama: Madison City Schools

A girl running with a backpack.

– Location: Madison, Alabama
– Total students: 11,804
– National rank: 57



Vilmos Varga // Shutterstock

Alaska: Skagway School District

A school bus driving over a bridge with mountains in the background.

– Location: Skagway, Alaska
– Total students: 144
– National rank: 481



JulieTFarbarik // Wikimedia Commons

Arizona: Catalina Foothills Unified School District

A school in a desert landscape.

– Location: Tucson, Arizona
– Total students: 5,190
– National rank: 362



Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

Arkansas: Haas Hall Academy

A classroom of older kids learning.

– Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas
– Total students: 1,407
– National rank: 137



Canva

California: Palo Alto Unified School District

A boy with red hair boarding a school bus.

– Location: Palo Alto, California
– Total students: 11,395
– National rank: 9

You may also like: 25 oldest colleges in America



Canva

Colorado: Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12

A school bus driving through the mountains.

– Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
– Total students: 5,270
– National rank: 290



barbsimages // Shutterstock

Connecticut: Westport School District

Girls playing soccer.

– Location: Westport, Connecticut
– Total students: 5,329
– National rank: 17



Canva

Delaware: Appoquinimink School District

Kids running up to a school.

– Location: Odessa, Delaware
– Total students: 11,914
– National rank: 489



Michael Rivera // Wikimedia Commons

Florida: St. Johns County School District

The brick building of St. Johns School.

– Location: St Augustine, Florida
– Total students: 44,550
– National rank: 848



Thomson200 // Wikimedia Commons

Georgia: Buford City Schools

A school with two flags on a big green lawn in front.

– Location: Buford, Georgia
– Total students: 5,468
– National rank: 87

You may also like: 45 best college movies



Joel Bradshaw // Wikimedia Commons

Hawaii: Monongalia County Schools

A white school building with a statue in front.

– Location: Morgantown, Hawaii
– Total students: 11,113
– National rank: Not ranked



Canva

Idaho: Troy School District

Kids working on drawing at a table in school.

– Location: Troy, Idaho
– Total students: 270
– National rank: 740



Canva

Illinois: Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125

High school students taking a test.

– Location: Lincolnshire, Illinois
– Total students: 4,315
– National rank: 1



Canva

Indiana: West Lafayette Community School Corporation

Kids exiting a school bus.

– Location: West Lafayette, Indiana
– Total students: 2,316
– National rank: 8



Canva

Iowa: Pleasant Valley Community School District

Two kids writing at a long table together.

– Location: Bettendorf, Iowa
– Total students: 5,331
– National rank: 121

You may also like: 30 college majors that didn’t exist 50 years ago



Axarchy // Wikimedia Commons

Kansas: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park)

Blue Valley brick high school.

– Location: Overland Park, Kansas
– Total students: 22,148
– National rank: 69



Canva

Kentucky: Murray Independent Schools

Elementary kids getting off a school bus in a line and going into school.

– Location: Murray, Kentucky
– Total students: 1,783
– National rank: 263



kite studio // Shutterstock

Louisiana: Zachary Community Public Schools

A classroom of school chair desks.

– Location: Zachary, Louisiana
– Total students: 5,444
– National rank: 306



Pat Shrader // Shutterstock

Maine: Yarmouth Schools

A school bus inside with empty blue seats.

– Location: Yarmouth, Maine
– Total students: 1,670
– National rank: 172



Wallstreethotrod // Wikimedia Commons

Maryland: Howard County Public Schools

A long brick school.

– Location: Ellicott City, Maryland
– Total students: 57,293
– National rank: 307

You may also like: Best private high school in every state



Canva

Massachusetts: Weston Public Schools

An elementary school library book cart.

– Location: Weston, Massachusetts
– Total students: 1,906
– National rank: 23



transly // Wikimedia Commons

Michigan: Novi Community School District

A green Novi High School sign.

– Location: Novi, Michigan
– Total students: 6,580
– National rank: 60



Canva

Minnesota: Wayzata Public School District

A school gymnasium.

– Location: Wayzata, Minnesota
– Total students: 12,013
– National rank: 46



smolaw // Shutterstock

Mississippi: Petal School District

A light wood desk.

– Location: Petal, Mississippi
– Total students: 4,106
– National rank: 286



Prostock-studio // Shutterstock

Missouri: School District of Clayton

High school students sitting together smiling.

– Location: Clayton, Missouri
– Total students: 2,514
– National rank: 13

You may also like: States where high schoolers are least likely to graduate



Canva

Montana: Monongalia County Schools

Elementary kids looking at books with a teacher in the library.

– Location: Morgantown, Montana
– Total students: 11,113
– National rank: Not ranked



Gorodenkoff // Shutterstock

Nebraska: Elkhorn Public Schools

A middle school girl with braces sitting at a desk.

– Location: Elkhorn, Nebraska
– Total students: 10,642
– National rank: 239



Canva

Nevada: Monongalia County Schools

A colorful playground.

– Location: Morgantown, Nevada
– Total students: 11,113
– National rank: Not ranked



lonndubh // Shutterstock

New Hampshire: SAU 70

A chair back in a classroom.

– Location: Hanover, New Hampshire
– Total students: 1,054
– National rank: 96



Canva

New Jersey: Millburn Township School District

High school students walking down the hallway.

– Location: Millburn, New Jersey
– Total students: 4,697
– National rank: 29

You may also like: 2-year degrees that can earn you the most money



C4dickson // Wikimedia Commons

New Mexico: Los Alamos Public Schools

A gray school with a green Los Alamos sign in front.

– Location: Los Alamos, New Mexico
– Total students: 3,539
– National rank: 329



WoodysPhotos // Shutterstock

New York: Great Neck Public Schools

Syosset boys cross country race with many other teams.

– Location: Great Neck, New York
– Total students: 6,831
– National rank: 3



Canva

North Carolina: Polk County Schools

Indoor sports course for kids in a gym.

– Location: Columbus, North Carolina
– Total students: 2,154
– National rank: 399



Canva

North Dakota: Edmore School District No. 2

Kids holding sheets of music and singing.

– Location: Edmore, North Dakota
– Total students: 35
– National rank: 675



Canva

Ohio: Solon City School District

Special education teacher working with a young boy at a green table.

– Location: Solon, Ohio
– Total students: 4,521
– National rank: 49

You may also like: Best private colleges in America



Kit Leong // Shutterstock

Oklahoma: Edmond Public Schools

Sunny exterior view of the Edmond Public Schools.

– Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
– Total students: 23,496
– National rank: 285



Tada Images // Shutterstock

Oregon: West Linn-Wilsonville School District

A West Linn-Wilsonville school bus.

– Location: Tualatin, Oregon
– Total students: 9,302
– National rank: 348



Syda Productions // Shutterstock

Pennsylvania: Radnor Township School District

Kids reading and writing at their desks.

– Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania
– Total students: 3,624
– National rank: 14



0xF8E8 // Wikimedia Commons

Rhode Island: Barrington Public Schools

The outside of brick Barrinton school with a blue sign.

– Location: Barrington, Rhode Island
– Total students: 3,388
– National rank: 227



wavebreakmedia // Shutterstock

South Carolina: Fort Mill School District

Three kids laughing and running outside the school wearing backpacks.

– Location: Fort Mill, South Carolina
– Total students: 16,883
– National rank: 235

You may also like: Most expensive colleges—and what students actually pay



Lincoln Beddoe // Shutterstock

South Dakota: Brandon Valley School District

A bench outside full of kids’ backpacks.

– Location: Brandon, South Dakota
– Total students: 4,721
– National rank: 639



Canva

Tennessee: Maryville City Schools

A dad walking his daughter to school.

– Location: Maryville, Tennessee
– Total students: 5,441
– National rank: 383



Larry D. Moore // Wikimedia Commons

Texas: Eanes Independent School District

A stone school with a Texas and American flag in front.

– Location: Austin, Texas
– Total students: 7,968
– National rank: 10



Yuganov Konstantin // Shutterstock

Utah: Northern Utah Academy for Math Engineering & Science (Nuames)

A mom handing her daughter some spiral notebooks for school.

– Location: Layton, Utah
– Total students: 1,135
– National rank: 173



David Prahl // Shutterstock

Vermont: South Burlington School District

A school bus in front of a playground.

– Location: South Burlington, Vermont
– Total students: 2,688
– National rank: 638

You may also like: What American education was like 100 years ago



Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock

Virginia: Falls Church City Public Schools

Students sitting in a row outside smiling.

– Location: Falls Church, Virginia
– Total students: 2,500
– National rank: 220



Architectsea // Wikimedia Commons

Washington: Mercer Island School District

The outside front of Mercer Island school on a rainy day.

– Location: Mercer Island, Washington
– Total students: 4,192
– National rank: 157



Rido // Shutterstock

West Virginia: Monongalia County Schools

Two girls sit together in class smiling at each other.

– Location: Morgantown, West Virginia
– Total students: 11,113
– National rank: Not ranked



hxdbzxy // Shutterstock

Wisconsin: Elmbrook School District

Empty wooden desks in class.

– Location: Brookfield, Wisconsin
– Total students: 7,280
– National rank: 45



Canva

Wyoming: Sheridan County School District No. 2

A hallway of lockers.

– Location: Sheridan, Wyoming
– Total students: 3,519
– National rank: 893

You may also like: States spending the most and least per student on education


Article Topic Follows: stacker-Money

Jump to comments ↓

Stacker

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KVIA ABC 7 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content