Though not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, all children living in the United States have the right to a free, public education – and across the country, there are nearly 50 million K-12 students enrolled in a public school. But while equal access to education is guaranteed, the quality of that education is not.
Many school districts across the country are understaffed, underfunded, and underperforming. Meanwhile, there are also school districts that are notable for the opposite reasons. These districts offer students updated facilities, a range of extracurricular activity options, and a dedicated teaching staff, and they have a track record of high graduation rates. (Here is a look at the best private high schools in America.)
Using data compiled by Niche, an education research platform, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 best public school districts in America for 2023. Niche ranked school districts based on a weighted index of seven measures, including self-reported standardized test scores, parent and student surveys, extracurricular activities, and indicators of teacher quality. A full description of each measure and its weighting is available here.
School districts in the United States are typically funded largely at the local level, and many of the districts on this list are in relatively wealthy areas, with a strong tax base to draw from. In many districts on this list, most households earn over $100,000 a year. (Here is a look at the richest school district in every state.)
The majority of districts on this list are located in the Midwest and the Northeast, including 12 in Illinois and 10 in New York. That these districts are concentrated in a handful of states is no coincidence. State governments have considerable leverage over education policy – including levels of investment – and as a result, overall school quality can vary considerably from one state to the next. (Here is a look at how much each state spends on public schools.)
Click here to see the best-ranked school districts in America.
50. Acalanes Union High School District
> Location: Lafayette, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 89%
> Students proficient in math: 72%
> Total enrollment: 5,535
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49. Solon City School District
> Location: Solon, OH
> Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 94%
> Students proficient in math: 96%
> Total enrollment: 4,521
48. Dover-Sherborn Regional School District
> Location: Dover, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 92%
> Students proficient in reading: 80%
> Students proficient in math: 80%
> Total enrollment: 1,185
47. Barrington Community Unit School District No. 220
> Location: Barrington, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 60%
> Students proficient in math: 56%
> Total enrollment: 8,247
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46. Wayzata Public School District
> Location: Plymouth, MN
> Student-teacher ratio: 17:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 81%
> Students proficient in math: 79%
> Total enrollment: 12,013
45. Elmbrook School District
> Location: Brookfield, WI
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 61%
> Students proficient in math: 68%
> Total enrollment: 7,280
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44. Lexington Public Schools
> Location: Lexington, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 80%
> Students proficient in math: 83%
> Total enrollment: 6,901
43. Princeton Public Schools
> Location: Princeton, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 78%
> Students proficient in math: 63%
> Total enrollment: 3,740
42. Lower Merion School District
> Location: Ardmore, PA
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 88%
> Students proficient in math: 79%
> Total enrollment: 8,603
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41. Wellesley Public Schools
> Location: Wellesley, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 80%
> Students proficient in math: 77%
> Total enrollment: 4,432
40. San Dieguito Union High School District
> Location: Encinitas, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 25:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 79%
> Students proficient in math: 72%
> Total enrollment: 13,001
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39. North Allegheny School District
> Location: McCandless Township, PA
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 94%
> Students proficient in reading: 86%
> Students proficient in math: 71%
> Total enrollment: 8,499
38. South Texas Independent School District
> Location: Mercedes, TX
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 80%
> Students proficient in math: 84%
> Total enrollment: 4,194
37. East Williston Union Free School District
> Location: Old Westbury, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 9:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 83%
> Students proficient in math: 89%
> Total enrollment: 1,666
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36. Indian Prairie Community Unit School District No. 204
> Location: Aurora, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 59%
> Students proficient in math: 57%
> Total enrollment: 26,091
35. Manhasset Union Free School District
> Location: Manhasset, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 82%
> Students proficient in math: 86%
> Total enrollment: 3,051
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34. Hopkinton Public Schools
> Location: Hopkinton, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 81%
> Students proficient in math: 80%
> Total enrollment: 3,932
33. Northern Valley Regional High School District
> Location: Demarest, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 87%
> Students proficient in math: 72%
> Total enrollment: 2,101
32. La Canada Unified School District
> Location: La Cañada Flintridge, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 24:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 89%
> Students proficient in math: 85%
> Total enrollment: 3,988
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31. Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School District
> Location: Los Gatos, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 22:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 86%
> Students proficient in math: 78%
> Total enrollment: 3,470
30. Half Hollow Hills Central School District
> Location: Dix Hills, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 70%
> Students proficient in math: 78%
> Total enrollment: 7,604
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29. Millburn Township School District
> Location: Millburn Township, NJ
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 88%
> Students proficient in math: 83%
> Total enrollment: 4,697
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28. Township High School District No. 211
> Location: Palatine, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 47%
> Students proficient in math: 53%
> Total enrollment: 11,968
27. Tredyffrin-Easttown School District
> Location: Tredyffrin Township, PA
> Student-teacher ratio: 17:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 88%
> Students proficient in math: 74%
> Total enrollment: 6,957
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26. Niles Township Community High School District No. 219
> Location: Skokie, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 93%
> Students proficient in reading: 47%
> Students proficient in math: 46%
> Total enrollment: 4,659
25. Naperville Community Unit School District No. 203
> Location: Naperville, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 72%
> Students proficient in math: 64%
> Total enrollment: 16,289
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24. Hinsdale Township High School District No. 86
> Location: Hinsdale, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 92%
> Students proficient in reading: 64%
> Students proficient in math: 67%
> Total enrollment: 3,976
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23. Weston Public Schools
> Location: Weston, MA
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 83%
> Students proficient in math: 82%
> Total enrollment: 1,906
22. Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District
> Location: Mountain View, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 19:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 92%
> Students proficient in reading: 82%
> Students proficient in math: 68%
> Total enrollment: 4,563
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21. New Canaan Public Schools
> Location: New Canaan, CT
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 90%
> Students proficient in math: 87%
> Total enrollment: 4,155
20. Herricks Union Free School District
> Location: Herricks, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 83%
> Students proficient in math: 86%
> Total enrollment: 4,039
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19. Hewlett-Woodmere Union Free School District
> Location: Woodmere, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 82%
> Students proficient in math: 79%
> Total enrollment: 2,938
18. Evanston Township High School District No. 202
> Location: Evanston, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 92%
> Students proficient in reading: 52%
> Students proficient in math: 50%
> Total enrollment: 3,731
17. Westport School District
> Location: Westport, CT
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 85%
> Students proficient in math: 82%
> Total enrollment: 5,329
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16. Township High School District No. 113
> Location: Highland Park, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 68%
> Students proficient in math: 66%
> Total enrollment: 3,386
15. Ladue School District
> Location: Ladue, MO
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 72%
> Students proficient in math: 70%
> Total enrollment: 4,325
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14. Radnor Township School District
> Location: Radnor Township, PA
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 88%
> Students proficient in math: 78%
> Total enrollment: 3,624
13. School District of Clayton
> Location: Clayton, MO
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 74%
> Students proficient in math: 72%
> Total enrollment: 2,514
12. Community High School District 128
> Location: Vernon Hills, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 14:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 72%
> Students proficient in math: 73%
> Total enrollment: 3,379
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11. Scarsdale Union Free School District
> Location: Scarsdale, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 87%
> Students proficient in math: 90%
> Total enrollment: 4,657
10. Eanes Independent School District
> Location: Austin, TX
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 99%
> Students proficient in reading: 82%
> Students proficient in math: 81%
> Total enrollment: 7,968
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9. Palo Alto Unified School District
> Location: Palo Alto, CA
> Student-teacher ratio: 18:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 81%
> Students proficient in math: 81%
> Total enrollment: 11,395
8. West Lafayette Community School Corporation
> Location: West Lafayette, IN
> Student-teacher ratio: 16:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 95%
> Students proficient in reading: 72%
> Students proficient in math: 72%
> Total enrollment: 2,316
7. New Trier Township High School District No. 203
> Location: Northfield, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 12:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 81%
> Students proficient in math: 80%
> Total enrollment: 4,030
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6. Roslyn Union Free School District
> Location: East Hills, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 79%
> Students proficient in math: 85%
> Total enrollment: 3,204
5. Syosset Central School District
> Location: Syosset, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 76%
> Students proficient in math: 89%
> Total enrollment: 6,578
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4. Jericho Union Free School District
> Location: Oyster Bay, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 11:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 98%
> Students proficient in reading: 88%
> Students proficient in math: 92%
> Total enrollment: 3,153
3. Great Neck Public Schools
> Location: Lake Success, NY
> Student-teacher ratio: 10:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 83%
> Students proficient in math: 86%
> Total enrollment: 6,831
2. Glenbrook High Schools District 225
> Location: Glenview, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 13:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 97%
> Students proficient in reading: 67%
> Students proficient in math: 69%
> Total enrollment: 5,164
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1. Adlai E. Stevenson High School District No. 125
> Location: Lincolnshire, IL
> Student-teacher ratio: 15:1
> Avg. graduation rate: 96%
> Students proficient in reading: 75%
> Students proficient in math: 76%
> Total enrollment: 4,315
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