The Network for Public Education released a report card today grading the states on their support for democratically-governed public schools. Which states rank highest in supporting their public schools? Open the report to find out.
Democratically Governed Schools
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Neighborhood public schools remain the first choice of the overwhelming majority of Ameri-
can families. Despite their popularity, schools, which are embedded in communities and gov-
erned by elected neighbors, have been the target of an unrelenting attack from the extreme
right. This has resulted in some state legislatures and governors defunding and castigating
public schools while funding alternative models of K-12 education.
This 2024 report, Public Schooling in America: Measuring Each State’s Commitment to
Democratically Governed Schools, examines these trends, reporting on each state’s commit-
ment to supporting its public schools and the children who attend them.
What We Measure
We measure the extent of privatization in each state and whether charter and voucher laws
promote or discourage equity, responsibility, transparency, and accountability. We also rate
them on the strength of the guardrails they place on voucher and charter systems to protect
students and taxpayers from discrimination, corruption and fraud.
Recognizing that part of the anti-public school strategy is to defund public schools, we rate
states on how responsibly they finance their public schools through adequate and equitable
funding and by providing living wage salaries for teachers.
As the homeschool movement grows and becomes commercialized and publicly funded,
homeschooling laws deserve public scrutiny. Therefore, we rate states on laws that protect
children whose families homeschool.
Finally, we include a new expansive category, freedom to teach and learn, which rewards
states that reject book bans, and the use of unqualified teachers, intolerance of LGBTQ stu-
dents, corporal punishment, and other factors that impinge on teachers’ and students’ rights.
How does your state rank?
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Off topic, just announced, Koch has abandoned Haley. The false support distraction may have worked as planned.
Last week, when Sean O’Brien visited trump and, the Teamsters gave money to the anti-abortion and anti-labor RNC, the veil hiding the puppetry of Koch began its slippage.
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Florida’s claim to fame in this state report card, a 51st ranking. It carries the distinction of being the most hostile, irrational and punitive toward public education. The people of Florida can thank dystopian DeSantis and his legislative toadies for this ignominious distinction. Many thanks to The Network for Public Education for this report.
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Thank you, NPE. Great report.
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https://networkforpubliceducation.org/public-schooling-in-america-2024/ is a direct link to the report.
Steve
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Makes me proud to be a Tennessean
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Hurrah, NJ ranks 7th and gets a grade of B.
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However, from the NJEA website, 3-11-2021:
Quote – New Jersey’s pre-K through 12th grade public schools have been named the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in an annual survey released in early March 2021.
The ranking was based on factors including preschool enrollment, high school graduation rates and college tuition cost. New Jersey’s public high school graduation rate is 90 percent. end quote
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Again from the NJEA web site, 9-16-21:
Quote – Education Week once again has named New Jersey’s public schools the best in the nation, calculating that achievement based on K-12 achievement, school finance and the chance for success.
New Jersey has been neck-and-neck with Massachusetts for several years, but has topped them once again in the race to be number one. end quote
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Joe Jersey,
The difference in rankings, I believe, is due to the large number of charter schools in NJ.
That was not an issue for US News but it is for NPE.
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Again from the NJEA:
Quote – There are over 5,000 public charter school employees in the state of New Jersey. NJEA represents well over 1000 members. As per the NJ DOE there are close to 100 operating charter schools, with two pending approval. No new applications have been received.
51 charter schools have had their charters revoked, surrendered, or not renewed since Of those, 21 have closed since 2010.
There are, or will be, approximately 50,000 students attending charter schools. This is approximately 4% of students enrolled in New Jersey’s public schools.
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Not surprising for Georgia. Not at all. Of 181 public school districts, 179 are, by choice, either a so-called Charter System or a so-called Strategic Waver School System. In either case, a public school district voluntarily enters into a performance contract with the state for the purpose of receiving from the state a great amount of relief from O.C.G.A. Title 20, Georgia’s education law, and associated rules, regulations, and guidance in exchange for freedom to “innovate.” The essence of “innovate” invariably means to run the public school district as if it were an education marketplace comprising independent, self-governing, competing charter schools offering parents “school choice.”
Georgia has some 48 charter school districts, with each usually comprising just one charter school.
One of the two public school districts that chose to remain an authentic public school district is among the five or so top performers in the state.
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If your state has school choice, an internet search of school choice and Catholic Conference may lead to information about the politicking that makes it happen and flourish.
If you are wondering about the legal scholar credited as most influential in advancing religious charter schools, she’s Manhattan Institute Fellow and Notre Dame Prof. Nicole Stelle Garnet who is good friends with Amy Comey Barrett.
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California got a passing’C’ grade, but it didn’t get “proficient” (an ‘A’) on a standardized test, so, fail. California should, therefore, by the logic of corporate free marketeers, just outlaw charter schools. Thanks for the idea, billionaire jerks
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