Connecticut Schools Ranked #2 in the Country

With high ACT scores and strong teacher-to-student classroom ratios, Connecticut earned the second place spot in a Monday ranking by WalletHub of the top-performing school systems in the nation.

The ranking measured states based on 32 metrics including funding, class sizes, performance, and safety. The website concluded that Connecticut was second to only Massachusetts as the top-ranking school system in the country.

“Connecticut has the second-best school systems in the U.S., boasting the best ACT test scores in the country,” Adam McCann of WalletHub wrote. “In addition, around 7.6% of Connecticut public schools are in the top 700 public schools nationwide, the third-highest percentage in the country.”

WalletHub also attributed Connecticut’s strong showing to the state’s fifth-best pupil-to-teacher ratio, its high share of students who score at least a 3 on an advanced placement exam, and its attention to school safety. According to the website, Connecticut is one of just 17 states that require school safety audits.

Gov. Ned Lamont applauded the ranking in a Monday social media post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Connecticut was again ranked as one of the top states with the best school systems in the U.S.,” Lamont said. “There are so many exemplary teachers in our state we need to recognize for their dedication to our schools and our students.”

Connecticut also received high marks for what has not been happening in its schools. For instance, Connecticut had the lowest prevalence of illegal drugs in schools, a low rate of students bringing weapons onto school grounds, and the third-lowest rate of youth incarceration, according to WalletHub.

Sen. Doug McCrory, a Hartford Democrat who co-chairs the legislature’s Education Committee, welcomed Connecticut’s high performance in the national ranking.

“The fact that Connecticut’s school system continues to excel in national rankings is a testament to the hard work of our state’s teachers,” McCrory said. “However, Connecticut still faces an unacceptable achievement gap and our work will not be done until the children in our most underserved districts have access to the same quality education as those in our most affluent districts.”

In addition to Massachusetts and Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, and Wisconsin rounded out WalletHub’s five best school systems. Meanwhile, Louisiana, Alaska, Arizona, Oklahoma, and New Mexico had the worst-performing school systems, according to the website. Click here for a breakdown of the partisan composition of American states by the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Posted by Hugh McQuaid