Smartest/dumbest States

[AndrewTS 0]

Source: CNN Netscape

 

States Ranked: Smart to Dumb

The smartest state is Vermont. The dumbest is Arizona.

 

These are the 2005-2006 findings of the Education State Rankings, a survey by Morgan Quitno Press of hundreds of public school systems in all 50 states. States were graded on 21 factors, including student achievement and attendance, positive outcomes, strong student-teacher relationships and school district efficiency. Other factors are the number of high school graduates, reading, writing and math proficiency, percent of school-age kids in public schools, high school drop out rates, student-teacher ratios and class size.

 

"The Smartest State Award recognizes those states that are committed to students and teachers, emphasize excellence in the classroom and ensure that public elementary and secondary schools are efficiently-run," said Scott Morgan, president of Morgan Quitno Press. "Vermont shines in many key areas of education. A high percentage of its students excel in reading, writing and math. In addition, schools in Vermont have smaller class sizes and lower pupil-teacher ratios than in most other states."

 

They're doing something right in New England. Massachusetts was designated the smartest state by Morgan Quitno Press the previous two years, and New England states dominate four of the five top slots this year.

 

The losers are Arizona, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, California, Louisiana, Alaska, Alabama, Hawaii and Tennessee.

 

How does YOUR state rank?

 

1. Vermont

2. Connecticut

3. Massachusetts

4. New Jersey

5. Maine

6. Minnesota

7. Virginia

8. Wisconsin

9. Montana

10. New York

 

11. Pennsylvania

12. Nebraska

13. Kansas

14. Iowa

15. New Hampshire

16. Rhode Island

17. Wyoming

18. South Dakota

19. Maryland

20. North Dakota

 

21. Missouri

22. North Carolina

23. Colorado

24. Texas

25. Delaware

26. Indiana

27. Michigan

28. Idaho

29. South Carolina

30. Washington

 

31. Ohio

32. Illinois

33. Utah

34. West Virginia

35. Kentucky

36. Florida

37. Arkansas

38. Oregon

39. Oklahoma

40. Georgia

 

41. Tennessee

42. Hawaii

43. Alabama

44. Alaska

45. Louisiana

46. California

47. Nevada

48. New Mexico

49. Mississippi

50. Arizona

[tominator89 0]

No way Jersey is that high.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Yeah, not surprised California ranked so low because of the huge population. No surprise that states with smaller and more rural areas are ranked higher, either (since the study takes class size and pupil-to-teacher ratios into account).

[CheesalaIsGood 0]

This all some sport of liberal conspiracy of course. Too many blue states ranking all high and shit. Damn.

[Special K 0]

I don't believe this for a second. I had friends from Texas, and while they were fairly smart, not a single one could speak proper English (this is in college). They couldn't write properly, either.

 

So they're equating class size with intelligence. Riiiiight.

 

WTF if up with Montana and Minnesota being so high? Weird.

 

Interestingly enough, almost everyone I've met from Arizona has been a complete and utter moron. But hey, they're family.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Doesn't make much sense that MA is in the top 5...considering none of us can DRIVE.

[CBright7831 0]

Well, at least we're ahead of California.

[LaParkaYourCar 0]

I'll accept Texas being around the middle. Poor Arizona though.

[Special K 0]

Seriously, I tutored some kids in Louisiana, and their education system is BAD. (Louisiana is just downright poor.) If you're doing worse than Louisiana, man.

[Guest T®ITEC]

33? I want to question that, although now I realise that we have a lot of rich people for some reason. So whatever it is that they let their children learn here, they seem to learn it very well. This is interesting.

[The Czech Republic 0]

New England has always cared about education. If they weren't at the top, I'd question the veracity of this. These sorts of studies are generally meaningless, though, because every significant population center has the same breakdown of

-shitty public schools in the city

-oh here's the charter/magnet exception see it's not so bad!

-amazing schools in the affluent suburbs

-passable schools in the rest of the suburbs

-educational hellholes in the sticks

-oh here's an exception to it see it's not so bad

 

I know Chicago and Milwaukee follow the pattern, I'm certain that the rest do, but I don't travel from one metropolis to another to assess their schools, not yet, at least.

[Guest Leelee]

Yay, I moved from #10 to #50.

 

Not surprising, though. It seems like all the parents bitch about the schools here.

[therealworldschampion 0]

There is no way Jersey is that fucking high...

[CanadianChris 0]

49. Mississippi

See, some stereotypes ARE based in fact.

[Guest Leelee]

This is also a flawed poll. Even though Arizona's schooling system is horrible, a large amount of adults didn't go to school here. So, meh.

 

Mississippi wins.

[Damaramu 0]

Oklahoma is too high.

We're finally donating money to education but until recently we had such a low budget for education(or so i believe) and I will testify that we have the WORST math education of any state.

[CanadianChris 0]

And English, apparently.

 

I kid, I kid...

[Damaramu 0]

The problem I've learned in Oklahoma isn't really book smarts. We have a ton of people with book smarts but I don't think one person(me included) in this state has a lick of common sense.

I'm going to blame it on my environment from now on.

[lomasmoney 0]

Imagine where Michigan would be ranked if they took away Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw. Probably top 5

[Guest Leelee]

Imagine where Canada would be.

 

I wouldn't be last, anymore.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Of course Vermont is gonna be #1. It could rain bleach in Montpelier and the place couldn't get any whiter.

[Ravenbomb 0]

at least I'm in the top half

[Damaramu 0]

Wow I didn't realize that California was so low.

[Fökai 0]

The state of Hawai'i is in the middle of the pack in every *actual* study that measures standarized testing and graduation rates, while Oregon and Washington are usually top 15 in that regard.

 

...and I highly doubt that Mississippi isn't the dumbest state in the country. No offense to anyone on this board from there...it's true, though.

[Guest]

Wow I didn't realize that California was so low.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's because so many kids don't even speak English.

[Sass 0]

Cali's probably not as dumb as we're ranked. Due it's size though, yeah, the State's pretty fuckin dumb in the grand scheme of things. It also doesn't help that the politicians over here keep slashing the edu. budget, which raises the prices for college and just turns off people in general from continuing their education after high school (more people go to the CC's than the U's around here IIRC).

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

California voted John Matrix for gov., they deserve to be ranked low.

 

Then again, Minnesota voted Captain Freedom for gov... and Ventura died first in predator... yet they're number 6.

 

Hmm...

 

This leads me to believe that the state which elects Bill Duke will probably be #1 within no time.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I'm pretty sure I could outsmart your Vermont. That's the ice cream one, right?

[2GOLD 0]

#25...perfect.

Not too good, not too bad, just kinda there.

 

Should be the state motto.

[Guest clockworkraven]

#25...perfect.

Not too good, not too bad, just kinda there.

 

Should be the state motto.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

'Just kinda there - Delaware'. Nice ring to it.