Is your child getting one of the best educations in the country in N.J.?

By: Emily Bader
January 19, 2015 1:06 pm

A study looked at early childhood public education in the 50 states and District of Columbia.-(THINKSTOCK)

If you live in New Jersey, you finally have something to cheer about.A new report shows that New Jersey ranks in the Top 5 of all states that provide the best early childhood public education.

Education Week’s annual edition of Quality Counts’ best schools study primarily focuses on state test scores, school finances and parents’ incomes.

New Jersey, coming in at No. 2 among the rest of the states and the District of Columbia, had an overall grade of “B,” or 85.5, on its 2015 report card. America as a whole earned a “C” grade.

Diving into the findings, New Jersey’s school districts benefit abundantly from the state’s wealth, with more than $15,000 spent per student in 2012. The national average spent on a student is $11,735.

The state earned a “B “in the Chance for Success category, which according to the study “captures the role of education in a person’s life, from cradle to career.” The average state earned a “C .”

In school finances, the state earned a “B ” and ranked fifth nationally. The average state earned a “C.”

In the K-12 Achievement Index, which focuses on state testing and improvements, New Jersey ranked No. 3 with a “B-” grade. The average state earned a “C-.”

Preschool is another factor for the state, as 63.1 percent of eligible Garden State children in 2013 were enrolled in the early education, which is the second-highest rate nationwide.

Here’s a list of the Top 10 states that provide the best education:

10. Minnesota, B- or 79.9
9. New York, B- or 80.0
8. Pennsylvania, B- or 80.1
7. Wyoming, B- or 80.6
6. Connecticut, B- or 82.3
5. New Hampshire, B- or 82.3
4. Vermont, B or 83.0
3. Maryland, B or 85.2
2. New Jersey, B or 85.5
1. Massachusetts, B or 86.2

And the worst:

10. California, D or 69.2
9. South Carolina, D or 68.9
8. Louisiana, D or 68.5
7. Alabama, D or 67.7
6. Idaho, D or 67.7
5. Arizona, D or 67.6
4. Oklahoma, D or 67.6
3. New Mexico, D or 65.5
2. Nevada, D or 65.0
1. Mississippi, D or 64.2

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