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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.

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Alabama: Madison City Schools

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

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Alaska: Skagway School District

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

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Arizona: Catalina Foothills Unified School District

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

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Arkansas: Haas Hall Academy

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

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California: Palo Alto Unified School District

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

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Colorado: Cheyenne Mountain School District No. 12

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

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Connecticut: Westport School District

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

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Delaware: Appoquinimink School District

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

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Florida: St. Johns County School District

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

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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

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Idaho: Troy School District

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

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

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

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Indiana: West Lafayette Community School Corporation

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

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Iowa: Pleasant Valley Community School District

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

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Kansas: Blue Valley Unified School District (Overland Park)

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

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Kentucky: Murray Independent Schools

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

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Louisiana: Zachary Community Public Schools

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

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Maine: Yarmouth Schools

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

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Maryland: Howard County Public Schools

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

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Massachusetts: Weston Public Schools

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

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Michigan: Novi Community School District

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

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Minnesota: Wayzata Public School District

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

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Mississippi: Petal School District

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

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Missouri: School District of Clayton

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

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Montana: Monongalia County Schools

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

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Nebraska: Elkhorn Public Schools

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

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Nevada: Monongalia County Schools

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

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New Hampshire: SAU 70

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

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New Jersey: Millburn Township School District

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

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New Mexico: Los Alamos Public Schools

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

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New York: Great Neck Public Schools

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

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North Carolina: Polk County Schools

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

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North Dakota: Edmore School District No. 2

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

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Ohio: Solon City School District

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

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Oklahoma: Edmond Public Schools

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

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Oregon: West Linn-Wilsonville School District

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

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Pennsylvania: Radnor Township School District

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

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Rhode Island: Barrington Public Schools

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

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South Carolina: Fort Mill School District

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

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South Dakota: Brandon Valley School District

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

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Tennessee: Maryville City Schools

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

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Texas: Eanes Independent School District

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

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

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

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Vermont: South Burlington School District

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

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Virginia: Falls Church City Public Schools

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

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Washington: Mercer Island School District

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

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West Virginia: Monongalia County Schools

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

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Wisconsin: Elmbrook School District

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

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Wyoming: Sheridan County School District No. 2

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

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