The Top 10 Lists
States with...
- Most public school students, 2006-07
- Most students in charter schools, Fall 2008
- Highest percentage of students enrolled in city public school districts, 2006-07
- Highest percentage of students enrolled in suburban public school districts, 2006-07
- Highest percentage of students enrolled in rural public school districts, 2006-07
- Greatest number of regular school districts, 2006-07
- Greatest number of public schools, 2006-07
- Greatest number of charter schools, Fall 2008
- Highest per-pupil expenditures
- Lowest per-pupil expenditures
- Largest average high-school enrollments, 2006-07
- Smallest average high-school enrollments, 2006-07
- Highest average salaries for instructional staff, 2006
- Lowest average salaries for instructional staff, 2006
- Greatest percentage change in average instructional staff salaries, 1995-96 to 2005-06
- Smallest percentage change in average instructional staff salaries, 1995-96 to 2005-06
- Greatest percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunches
- Lowest pupil-teacher ratios, 2006-07
- Most capital outlay
- Most districts of greater than 10,000 enrollment, 2006-07
- Most newly opened charter schools, Fall 2008
Communities with...
School Districts with...
- Largest enrollment, 2007-08
- Greatest per-pupil spending, 10,000+ enrollment
- Lowest per-pupil spending, 10,000+ enrollment
Universities with...
States with most public school students, 2006-07
| California | 6,406,821 |
| Texas | 4,599,509 |
| New York | 2,809,649 |
| Florida | 2,671,513 |
| Illinois | 2,118,276 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,871,060 |
| Ohio | 1,836,096 |
| Michigan | 1,714,709 |
| Georgia | 1,629,157 |
| North Carolina | 1,444,481 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with most students in charter schools, Fall 2008
| California | 252,569 |
| Arizona | 119,516 |
| Texas | 108,541 |
| Florida | 108,382 |
| Ohio | 94,171 |
| Michigan | 93,892 |
| Pennsylvania | 61,823 |
| Colorado | 53,249 |
| Wisconsin | 41,799 |
| Georgia | 40,807 |
| Source: Center for Education Reform | |
States with highest percentage of students enrolled in city public school districts, 2006-07
| Washington, D.C. | 100% |
| Arizona | 53.1% |
| Alaska | 48.6% |
| California | 48.1% |
| New Mexico | 43.7% |
| New York | 43.6% |
| Texas | 42.6% |
| Nebraska | 38.6% |
| North Carolina | 37.0% |
| Louisiana | 35.9% |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with highest percentage of students enrolled in suburban public school districts, 2006-07
| Hawaii | 100% |
| New Jersey | 79.7% |
| Maryland | 76.7% |
| Florida | 72.0% |
| Nevada | 71.8% |
| Massachusetts | 70.4% |
| Utah | 62.2% |
| Delaware | 59.1% |
| Connecticut | 55.8% |
| Rhode Island | 55.1% |
| Source: National Center for Education | |
States with highest percentage of students enrolled in rural public school districts, 2006-07
| Maine | 54.0% |
| Vermont (tie) | 51.5% |
| South Dakota (tie) | 51.5% |
| North Carolina | 47.8% |
| Mississippi | 47.2% |
| Alabama | 41.4% |
| Kentucky | 40.1% |
| North Dakota | 39.8% |
| West Virginia | 39.7% |
| Arkansas | 37.8% |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with greatest number of regular school districts, 2006-07
| Texas | 1,033 |
| California | 989 |
| Illinois | 873 |
| New York | 697 |
| Ohio | 614 |
| New Jersey | 593 |
| Michigan | 552 |
| Oklahoma | 540 |
| Missouri | 524 |
| Pennsylvania | 501 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with greatest number of public schools, 2006-07
| California | 10,038 |
| Texas | 8,630 |
| New York | 4,708 |
| Illinois | 4,392 |
| Michigan | 4,133 |
| Ohio | 3,972 |
| Florida | 3,952 |
| Pennsylvania | 3,286 |
| Minnesota | 2,665 |
| New Jersey (tie) | 2,470 |
| North Carolina (tie) | 2,470 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with the greatest number of charter schools, Fall 2008
| California | 763 |
| Arizona | 506 |
| Florida | 384 |
| Texas | 333 |
| Ohio | 299 |
| Wisconsin | 254 |
| Michigan | 249 |
| Minnesota | 158 |
| Colorado | 147 |
| Pennsylvania | 133 |
| Source: Center for Education Reform | |
States with highest per-pupil expenditures
| New York | $14,884 |
| New Jersey | $14,630 |
| Washington, D.C. | $13,446 |
| Vermont | $12,614 |
| Connecticut | $12,323 |
| Massachusetts | $11,981 |
| Rhode Island | $11,769 |
| Delaware | $11,633 |
| Alaska | $11,460 |
| Wyoming | $11,197 |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finances, 2006 | |
States with lowest per-pupil expenditures
| Utah | $5,437 |
| Idaho | $6,440 |
| Arizona | $6,472 |
| Tennessee | $6,883 |
| Oklahoma | $6,961 |
| Mississippi | $7,221 |
| Nevada | $7,345 |
| North Carolina | $7,388 |
| Texas | $7,561 |
| Alabama | $7,646 |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finances, 2006 | |
States with largest average high-school enrollments, 2006-07
| Florida | 1,716 |
| California | 1,460 |
| Nevada | 1,356 |
| Maryland | 1,348 |
| Hawaii | 1,329 |
| Georgia | 1,308 |
| Virginia | 1,249 |
| Delaware | 1,112 |
| Connecticut | 1,056 |
| Texas | 1,040 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with smallest average high-school enrollments, 2006-07
| South Dakota | 227 |
| Montana | 279 |
| Oklahoma | 347 |
| Nebraska | 349 |
| Wyoming | 371 |
| New Mexico | 384 |
| North Dakota | 396 |
| Kansas | 420 |
| Iowa | 463 |
| Arkansas | 473 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with highest average salaries for instructional staff, 2006
| Connecticut | $62,395 |
| New Jersey | $61,541 |
| Alaska | $60,376 |
| California | $59,825 |
| Washington, D.C. | $59,000 |
| New York | $58,630 |
| Michigan | $58,592 |
| Massachusetts | $58,353 |
| Illinois | $58,012 |
| Rhode Island | $57,915 |
| Source: National Education Association, Estimates Database | |
States with lowest average salaries for instructional staff, 2006
| South Dakota | $35,983 |
| North Dakota | $39,065 |
| Montana | $39,832 |
| West Virginia | $39,856 |
| Oklahoma | $40,370 |
| Idaho | $41,150 |
| New Mexico | $41,637 |
| Louisiana | $41,856 |
| Mississippi | $42,084 |
| Missouri | $42,335 |
| Source: National Education Association, Estimates Database | |
Greatest percentage change in average instructional staff salaries, 1995-96 to 2005-06
| Mississippi | 46.6% |
| Arkansas | 46.4% |
| Louisiana | 44.3% |
| North Dakota | 43.9% |
| Georgia (tie) | 41.7% |
| New Mexico (tie) | 41.7% |
| Kentucky | 39.0% |
| North Carolina | 38.9% |
| Hawaii | 38.3% |
| Wyoming | 38.0% |
| Source: National Education Association, Estimates Database | |
Smallest percentage change in average instructional staff salaries, 1995-96 to 2005-06
| Massachusetts | 10.8% |
| New Hampshire | 12.2% |
| Kansas | 12.9% |
| Pennsylvania | 18.2% |
| West Virginia | 19.7% |
| New Jersey | 20.0% |
| Connecticut | 20.1% |
| New York | 20.3% |
| Alaska | 20.6% |
| Nevada | 23.2% |
| Source: National Education Association, Estimates Database | |
States with greatest percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunches
| Mississippi | 67.5% |
| Louisiana | 61.5% |
| New Mexico | 60.9% |
| Arkansas | 58.7% |
| Oklahoma | 55.2% |
| Washington, D.C. | 54.5% |
| South Carolina | 51.3% |
| Alabama | 51.1% |
| Kentucky | 51.0% |
| Georgia | 50.4% |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with lowest pupil-teacher ratios, 2006-07
| Vermont | 10.8:1 |
| Maine | 11.5:1 |
| Virginia | 11.6:1 |
| North Dakota | 12.1:1 |
| New Jersey | 12.4:1 |
| Wyoming | 12.6:1 |
| New York | 12.8:1 |
| New Hampshire | 13.1:1 |
| Massachusetts (tie) | 13.2:1 |
| Alabama (tie) | 13.2:1 |
| Source: National Center for Education Statistics | |
States with most capital outlay
| California | $10.04 billion |
| Texas | $6.17 billion |
| Florida | $4.86 billion |
| New York | $3.97 billion |
| Ohio | $2.18 billion |
| New Jersey | $2.03 billion |
| Illinois | $2.02 billion |
| Pennsylvania | $2.01 billion |
| Georgia | $1.93 billion |
| Michigan | $1.84 billion |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Public Education Finances, 2006 | |
States with most districts of greater than 10,000 enrollment, 2006-07
| California | 163 |
| Texas | 91 |
| Florida | 38 |
| North Carolina | 37 |
| Georgia | 36 |
| Washington | 31 |
| Virginia | 27 |
| Arizona | 26 |
| Indiana (tie) | 24 |
| Michigan (tie) | 24 |
| Source: National Center for Education | |
States with most newly opened charter schools, Fall 2008
| California | 65 |
| Florida | 37 |
| Arizona | 29 |
| New York | 21 |
| Georgia | 17 |
| Ohio (tie) | 14 |
| Washington, D.C. (tie) | 14 |
| Minnesota (tie) | 13 |
| Texas (tie) | 13 |
| Oregon (tie) | 12 |
| Louisiana (tie) | 12 |
| Source: Center for Education Reform | |
Communities with the highest percentage of public school students enrolled in charter schools, 2007-08
| New Orleans | 55% |
| Washington, D.C. | 31% |
| Southfield, Mich. (tie) | 28% |
| Dayton, Ohio (tie) | 28% |
| Pontiac, Mich. | 25% |
| Youngstown, Ohio | 24% |
| Phoenix (Ariz.) Union H.S. District (tie) | 23% |
| Kansas City, Mo. (tie) | 23% |
| Detroit (tie) | 22% |
| San Antonio (tie) | 22% |
| Source: National Alliance for Public Charter Schools | |
School districts with largest enrollment, 2007-08
| New York | 1,035,406 |
| Los Angeles | 694,288 |
| Chicago | 408,601 |
| Miami | 348,116 |
| Clark County (Nev.) | 308,783 |
| Broward County (Fla.) | 258,746 |
| Houston | 199,534 |
| Hillsborough County (Fla.) | 193,062 |
| Hawaii | 178,369 |
| Orange County (Fla.) | 174,033 |
| Source: States and individual districts | |
School districts with greatest per-pupil spending, 10,000+ enrollment
| Trenton, N.J. | $21,927 |
| Newark, N.J. | $21,295 |
| Jersey City, N.J. | $19,473 |
| Camden, N.J. | $18,655 |
| East Orange, N.J. | $18,306 |
| Paterson, N.J. | $18,268 |
| Boston | $17,421 |
| Yonkers, N.Y. | $16,942 |
| Passaic, N.J. | $16,811 |
| Elizabeth, N.J. | $16,638 |
| Source: Public Education Finances, 2006, U.S. Census Bureau | |
School districts with lowest per-pupil spending, 10,000+ enrollment
| Tooele, Utah | $4,881 |
| Alpine, Utah | $4,918 |
| Jordan, Utah | $4,960 |
| Washington County, Utah | $5,019 |
| Nebo, Utah | $5,101 |
| Weber County, Utah | $5,187 |
| Granite, Utah | $5,202 |
| Davis, Utah | $5,266 |
| Meridian, Idaho | $5,296 |
| Cache County, Utah | $5,371 |
| Source: Public Education Finances, 2006, | |
Universities with largest enrollment, Fall 2008
| Ohio State University | 53,715 |
| Arizona State University | 52,734 |
| University of Florida | 51,413 |
| University of Minnesota | 51,140 |
| University of Central Florida | 50,629 |
| University of Texas at Austin | 50,006 |
| Texas A&M University | 48,039 |
| Michigan State University | 46,648 |
| University of South Florida | 46,174 |
| University of Illinois | 42,326 |
| Source: Individual schools | |
Universities with largest academic research and development expenditures, fiscal 2007
| The Johns Hopkins University | $1.55 billion |
| University of California, San Francisco | $843 million |
| University of Wisconsin, Madison | $841 million |
| University of California, Los Angeles | $823 million |
| University of Michigan, all campuses | $809 million |
| University of California, San Diego | $799 million |
| Duke University | $782 million |
| University of Washington | $757 million |
| Ohio State University, all campuses | $720 million |
| Stanford University | $688 million |
| Source: National Science Foundation | |