Oregon has the fourth-worst school systems in America, according to a new WalletHub study that compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 32 key metrics. The analysis focused on academic performance, safety, class size, instructor credentials and funding.
“Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn't guarantee success,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “How funds are applied also plays a big role in how good a school system is, as does the quality of educators, other professionals and the curriculum. In addition, schools need to focus not just on test scores but also on making sure that students feel safe, comfortable and cared for.”
In-Depth Look at Oregon
Oregon has the seventh-fewest school discipline incidents per capita. The state also has the 10th-highest share of public school teachers who meet licensing requirements.
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However, Oregon has room for improvement in other areas. For example, the state has the third-lowest fourth-grade math scores in the country. In addition, Oregon has the fourth-lowest share of parents who agree their children are safe at school.
In the study's two main categories, Oregon's school systems rank 47th for quality and 45th for safety, putting it in 48th place overall out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. This reflects the fact that school quality makes up 80% of the study's weight, while safety makes up 20%.
Public School Ranking by State
Overall Rank | State | Total Score | Quality Rank | Safety Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Massachusetts | 74.74 | 1 | 2 |
2 | Connecticut | 69.29 | 3 | 6 |
3 | New Jersey | 67.41 | 2 | 20 |
4 | New Hampshire | 63.63 | 4 | 15 |
5 | Wisconsin | 60.57 | 5 | 18 |
6 | Virginia | 60.51 | 9 | 5 |
7 | Vermont | 59.79 | 7 | 13 |
8 | New York | 59.52 | 6 | 19 |
9 | Rhode Island | 57.95 | 10 | 8 |
10 | North Dakota | 57.63 | 8 | 26 |
The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.
