📊 Data: NCES CCD 2024–2025·🔄 Updated: May 2026·Editorial standards
🏆 Rankings · State Test Data (EDFacts 2017–18)

Best School Districts
in the United States

the United States has 10016 rated public school districts. Rankings reflect state reading & math assessment proficiency, percentile-ranked within each state. Use the zip code search to find and compare districts near your address.

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📊 What this ranking measures
Rankings are based on academic achievement — the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2017–18), ranked against other districts in the same state — not on spending, district size, or staffing. See full methodology →
Top 25 Districts — United States Sorted by rating — highest first
#DistrictCityRatingState Percentile
#1Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125Adlai E. Stevenson10/10  Excellent99th
#2Alamogordo Public SchoolsDell City10/10  Excellent99th
#3Alamogordo Public SchoolsChaparral10/10  Excellent99th
#4Albuquerque Public SchoolsAlbuquerque10/10  Excellent99th
#5Allen Independent School DistrictAllen10/10  Excellent99th
#6Alpine Borough School DistrictAlpine Borough10/10  Excellent99th
#7Arbon Elementary School District 383Arbon10/10  Excellent99th
#8Arlington School District 38-1Arlington10/10  Excellent99th
#9Artesia Public SchoolsArtesia10/10  Excellent99th
#10Ashley Public School District 9Ashley10/10  Excellent99th
#11Atlanta C-3 SchoolsAtlanta C-310/10  Excellent99th
#12Bainbridge Island School DistrictBainbridge Island10/10  Excellent99th
#13Barnes County North Public School District 7Courtenay10/10  Excellent99th
#14Barr-Reeve Community School CorporationCannelburg10/10  Excellent99th
#15Barrington Public SchoolsBarrington10/10  Excellent99th
#16Bay Village City School DistrictBay10/10  Excellent99th
#17Bedford School DistrictBedford10/10  Excellent99th
#18Bellmore-Merrick Central High School DistrictBellmore-Merrick Central10/10  Excellent99th
#19Belt High School DistrictBelt10/10  Excellent99th
#20Bentonville Public SchoolsBentonville10/10  Excellent99th
#21Bentonville School DistrictBentonville10/10  Excellent99th
#22Bismarck Public SchoolsBismarck10/10  Excellent99th
#23Blue Valley School DistrictOverland Park10/10  Excellent99th
#24Blue Valley Unified School District 229Stilwell10/10  Excellent99th
#25Boyle County School DistrictBoyle10/10  Excellent99th

Best School Districts in the United States (2026)

This ranking covers 10016 rated public school districts the United States, scored using NCES EDFacts state assessment data for the 2017–18 school year — the most recent district-level federal collection we have processed. Each district's reading and math proficiency rates are averaged, then ranked against other districts in the same state to produce a 1–10 score.

A district's score reflects how its students perform on state assessments relative to same-state peers — it is not a direct measure of teaching quality, school culture, or individual student outcomes. Always visit schools, talk to local families, and contact districts directly before making decisions. Learn how ratings are calculated →

How to Use This List

Click any district name to see its zip code page and confirm your exact assignment with the district office. Boundaries don't always follow city or neighborhood lines — the zip code search gives you the most accurate result.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best school district in the United States?
Based on state reading and math assessment proficiency (NCES EDFacts, 2017–18), the top-rated district is Adlai E. Stevenson High School District 125 in Adlai E. Stevenson, rated 10/10 (Excellent).
How are these rankings calculated?
Rankings use the share of students scoring proficient or above on state reading and math assessments (NCES EDFacts, 2017–18), ranked against other districts in the same state, then converted to a 1–10 scale. Full methodology here.
Are ratings based on test scores?
Yes. Ratings are based directly on state reading and math assessment proficiency rates, not on enrollment, spending, or school count. They are a starting point for research, not a final verdict on school quality.