Public School Review - Established 2003

Most Improved Public Schools in the US

The most improved public schools in each state are listed below (2021-26).
A school's improvement is based on a its total rise in ranking spots during the last five years (2021-26).
% Schools Improving Rankings Range: 19% 86% Avg. % Schools Improving Rankings: 40%%

Public Schools in Each State By Overall Rank Improvement (2026)

State
% Schools Improving Rankings
Most Improved Schools
Rank: #11.
Puerto Rico
86%
(717 out of 834 schools improved rank)
Rank: #22.
Virgin Islands
60%
(12 out of 20 schools improved rank)
Rank: #3-43-4.
Pennsylvania
54%
(1,463 out of 2,711 schools improved rank)
Rank: #3-43-4.
Ohio
54%
(1,687 out of 3,133 schools improved rank)
Rank: #5-65-6.
Connecticut
52%
(481 out of 927 schools improved rank)
Rank: #5-65-6.
West Virginia
52%
(313 out of 606 schools improved rank)
Rank: #77.
Iowa
51%
(608 out of 1,202 schools improved rank)
Rank: #88.
New Jersey
50%
(1,093 out of 2,172 schools improved rank)
Rank: #99.
Virginia
49%
(869 out of 1,761 schools improved rank)
Rank: #10-1210-12.
Wyoming
47%
(142 out of 301 schools improved rank)
Rank: #10-1210-12.
Indiana
47%
(803 out of 1,714 schools improved rank)
Rank: #10-1210-12.
Maine
47%
(227 out of 488 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Massachusetts
46%
(745 out of 1,605 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Kentucky
46%
(574 out of 1,238 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Illinois
46%
(1,622 out of 3,527 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Alabama
46%
(580 out of 1,262 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Maryland
46%
(610 out of 1,330 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Mississippi
46%
(354 out of 776 schools improved rank)
Rank: #13-1913-19.
Hawaii
46%
(133 out of 292 schools improved rank)
Rank: #20-2120-21.
Oregon
45%
(525 out of 1,169 schools improved rank)
Rank: #20-2120-21.
Wisconsin
45%
(861 out of 1,930 schools improved rank)
Rank: #22-2522-25.
Kansas
44%
(550 out of 1,250 schools improved rank)
Rank: #22-2522-25.
Missouri
44%
(904 out of 2,061 schools improved rank)
Rank: #22-2522-25.
Michigan
44%
(1,305 out of 2,980 schools improved rank)
Rank: #22-2522-25.
Montana
44%
(301 out of 691 schools improved rank)
Rank: #26-2826-28.
South Dakota
43%
(256 out of 595 schools improved rank)
Rank: #26-2826-28.
Nebraska
43%
(382 out of 898 schools improved rank)
Rank: #26-2826-28.
Alaska
43%
(185 out of 435 schools improved rank)
Rank: #29-3129-31.
Oklahoma
42%
(693 out of 1,632 schools improved rank)
Rank: #29-3129-31.
Louisiana
42%
(511 out of 1,213 schools improved rank)
Rank: #29-3129-31.
Arkansas
42%
(408 out of 971 schools improved rank)
Rank: #3232.
New Hampshire
41%
(184 out of 453 schools improved rank)
Rank: #33-3533-35.
Rhode Island
40%
(114 out of 283 schools improved rank)
Rank: #33-3533-35.
Minnesota
40%
(700 out of 1,755 schools improved rank)
Rank: #33-3533-35.
North Dakota
40%
(175 out of 440 schools improved rank)
Rank: #3636.
New York
39%
(1,677 out of 4,324 schools improved rank)
Rank: #37-3837-38.
New Mexico
38%
(301 out of 787 schools improved rank)
Rank: #37-3837-38.
Georgia
38%
(827 out of 2,174 schools improved rank)
Rank: #3939.
Delaware
37%
(74 out of 198 schools improved rank)
Rank: #40-4240-42.
California
36%
(3,409 out of 9,468 schools improved rank)
Rank: #40-4240-42.
Washington
36%
(739 out of 2,072 schools improved rank)
Rank: #40-4240-42.
Idaho
36%
(249 out of 700 schools improved rank)
Rank: #4343.
Colorado
33%
(558 out of 1,703 schools improved rank)
Rank: #44-4544-45.
Tennessee
32%
(548 out of 1,709 schools improved rank)
Rank: #44-4544-45.
North Carolina
32%
(827 out of 2,584 schools improved rank)
Rank: #46-4746-47.
Nevada
31%
(215 out of 683 schools improved rank)
Rank: #46-4746-47.
Utah
31%
(289 out of 945 schools improved rank)
Rank: #4848.
Texas
30%
(2,376 out of 7,973 schools improved rank)
Rank: #4949.
Florida
27%
(966 out of 3,632 schools improved rank)
Rank: #5050.
Arizona
26%
(497 out of 1,895 schools improved rank)
Rank: #5151.
South Carolina
25%
(271 out of 1,106 schools improved rank)
Rank: #5252.
District Of Columbia
20%
(44 out of 218 schools improved rank)
Rank: #5353.
Vermont
19%
(51 out of 274 schools improved rank)

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Did You Know?

The state with highest % schools improving rankings is Puerto Rico, with 86%. The state with lowest % schools improving rankings is Vermont, with 19%.