The 21st edition of Quality Counts

The 21st edition of Quality Counts paints a somewhat stagnant picture of the nation’s schools overall, with spot improvements and declines in particular states.

For the third year in a row, the nation receives a C grade—a score of 74.2 out of 100—on the Education Week Research Center’s basket of key indicators.

The national grade and the grades for individual states are based on three custom Research Center indices that look at the role of education in promoting an individual’s chance for success over the course of a lifetime; overall school spending and equity in funding across districts; and academic performance, including changes over time and poverty-based gaps.

For the third straight year, Massachusetts takes first place, receiving a B grade and a score of 86.5, followed by five other states that received B grades with slightly lower point scores. Nevada was ranked lowest in the nation overall, receiving a D with a score of 65—one of three states to receive D scores overall.

But while 34 states fell into the C-minus to C-plus range, several posted notable upticks this year, including Montana, which gained 1.3 points—the biggest jump nationally. And New Hampshire, which gained about a point in this year’s report, edged into the ranks of the top five states.