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The best school district in every state

Written by:
October 24, 2022
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The best school district in every state

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.

Alabama: Madison City Schools

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

Alaska: Skagway School District

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

Arizona: Catalina Foothills Unified School District

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

Arkansas: Haas Hall Academy

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

California: Palo Alto Unified School District

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

Colorado: Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12

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

Connecticut: Westport School District

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

Delaware: Appoquinimink School District

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

Florida: St. Johns County School District

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

Georgia: Buford City Schools

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

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Hawaii: Monongalia County Schools

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

Idaho: Troy School District

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

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

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

Indiana: West Lafayette Community School Corporation

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

Iowa: Pleasant Valley Community School District

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

Kansas: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park)

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

Kentucky: Murray Independent Schools

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

Louisiana: Zachary Community Public Schools

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

Maine: Yarmouth Schools

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

Maryland: Howard County Public Schools

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

Massachusetts: Weston Public Schools

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

Michigan: Novi Community School District

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

Minnesota: Wayzata Public School District

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

Mississippi: Petal School District

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

Missouri: School District of Clayton

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

Montana: Monongalia County Schools

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

Nebraska: Elkhorn Public Schools

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

Nevada: Monongalia County Schools

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

New Hampshire: SAU 70

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

New Jersey: Millburn Township School District

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

New Mexico: Los Alamos Public Schools

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

New York: Great Neck Public Schools

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

North Carolina: Polk County Schools

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

North Dakota: Edmore School District No. 2

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

Ohio: Solon City School District

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

Oklahoma: Edmond Public Schools

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

Oregon: West Linn-Wilsonville School District

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

Pennsylvania: Radnor Township School District

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

Rhode Island: Barrington Public Schools

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

South Carolina: Fort Mill School District

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

South Dakota: Brandon Valley School District

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

Tennessee: Maryville City Schools

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

Texas: Eanes Independent School District

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

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

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

Vermont: South Burlington School District

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

Virginia: Falls Church City Public Schools

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

Washington: Mercer Island School District

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

West Virginia: Monongalia County Schools

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

Wisconsin: Elmbrook School District

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

Wyoming: Sheridan County School District No. 2

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

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