Thursday October 19, 2006

By on October 19, 2006 in Xanga

I love lists. And think that this one is interesting. Seeing as my readers hail from various states including Arkansas, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Dakota, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, Wisconsin, etc. I thought this was worth sharing…

2006-2007 Smartest State List (#1 is “smartest”)

Rank State Smart Rating 2005-2006 Rank Change
1 Vermont 18.57 1 0
2 Massachusetts 16.09 3 1
3 Connecticut 14.46 2 -1
4 New Jersey 14.35 4 0
5 Maine 10.79 5 0
6 Virginia 10.07 7 1
7 Montana 9.55 9 2
8 Wisconsin 9.04 8 0
9 Iowa 8.82 14 5
10 Pennsylvania 8.69 11 1
11 Nebraska 6.4 12 1
12 New Hampshire 5.9 15 3
13 Minnesota 5.33 6 -7
14 Rhode Island 4.31 16 2
15 Kansas 4.27 13 -2
16 New York 3.66 10 -6
17 South Dakota 3.25 18 1
18 Maryland 2.27 19 1
19 Wyoming 1.35 17 -2
20 Idaho 1.29 28 8
21 North Dakota 0.95 20 -1
22 Missouri 0.94 21 -1
23 North Carolina 0.84 22 -1
24 Indiana 0.06 26 2
25 Texas -0.11 24 -1
26 South Carolina -1.19 29 3
27 Colorado -1.32 23 -4
28 Delaware -2.47 25 -3
29 Florida -2.9 36 7
30 Tennessee -3.01 41 11
31 Kentucky -3.24 35 4
32 Arkansas -3.44 37 5
33 Washington -3.85 30 -3
34 Ohio -4 31 -3
35 Illinois -4.32 32 -3
36 Oklahoma -5.81 39 3
37 West Virginia -5.82 34 -3
38 Utah -6.3 33 -5
39 Michigan -6.43 27 -12
40 Oregon -6.87 38 -2
41 Georgia -6.92 40 -1
42 Hawaii -9.31 42 0
43 New Mexico -10.6 48 5
44 Louisiana -10.95 45 1
45 Alabama -11 43 -2
46 Alaska -11.91 44 -2
47 California -13.1 46 -1
48 Mississippi -14.78 49 1
49 Nevada -15.81 47 -2
50 Arizona -17.61 50 0

METHODOLOGY–This fifth Smartest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from Morgan Quitno?s annual reference book, Education State Rankings, 2006-2007.  To calculate the Smartest State rankings, the 21 factors were divided into two groups: those that are ?negative? for which a high ranking would be considered bad for a state, and those that are ?positive? for which a high ranking would be considered good. Rates for each of the 21 factors were processed through a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given category. The positive and negative nature of each factor was taken into account as part of the formula. Once these computations were made, the factors then were assigned equal weights. These scores then were added together to determine a state?s final score (?SUM? on the table above.) This way, states are assessed based on how they stack up against the national average. The end result is that the farther below the national average a state?s education ranking is, the lower (and less smart) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and smarter) a state ranks. This same methodology is used for our annual Healthiest State, Safest and Most Dangerous State and Safest/Dangerous City Awards.

 

POSITIVE (+ 1-13) AND NEGATIVE (- 14-21) FACTORS CONSIDERED:
  1. Public Elementary and Secondary School Revenue per $1,000 Personal Income (Table 56) +
  2. Percent of Public Elementary and Secondary School Current Expenditures used for Instruction (Table 134) +
  3. Percent of Population Graduated from High School (Table 171) +
  4. Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate for Public High Schools (Table 174) +
  5. Percent of Public School Fourth Graders Proficient or Better in Reading (Table 203) +
  6. Percent of Public School Eighth Graders Proficient or Better in Reading (Table 211) +
  7. Percent of Public School Fourth Graders Proficient or Better in Writing (Table 219) +
  8. Percent of Public School Eighth Graders Proficient or Better in Writing (Table 227) +
  9. Percent of Public School Fourth Graders Proficient or Better in Mathematics (Table 235) +
  10. Percent of Public School Eighth Graders Proficient or Better in Mathematics (Table 243) +
  11. Average Teacher Salary as a Percent of Average Annual Pay of All Workers (Table 364) +
  1. Average Daily Attendance as a Percent of Fall Enrollment in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools (Table 398) +
  2. Percent of School-Age Population in Public Schools (Table 389) +
  3. High School Drop Out Rate (Table 191) -
  4. Special Education Pupil-Teacher Ratio (Table 339) -
  5. Percent of Public Elementary and Secondary School Staff Who are School District Administrators (Table 380) -
  6. Average Class Size in Public Elementary Schools (Table 425) -
  7. Average Class Size in Public Secondary Schools (Table 426) -
  8. Median Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Public Primary Schools (Table 429) -
  9. Median Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Public Middle Schools (Table 432) -
  10. Median Pupil-Teacher Ratio in Public High Schools (Table 435) -

I’m sorry for the “educational” (read boring) post — maybe something exciting will happen between now and tomorrow that will make for a good post…

2 Responses to Thursday October 19, 2006

  1. ChiquitaQ October 19, 2006 at 6:04 pm #

    I’d just like to commend you on your daily postings lately!  I’m so proud…   :)

    Reply
  2. TommyM1080 October 20, 2006 at 3:30 pm #

    They should do one of those for the world.  I’m sure Iraq is right up there towards the top because these people are a marvel of human intelligence.  Once considered the ”Cradle of Civilization” and all they have to show for it now, even before Saddam and his retards took control, are some oil wells and the largest supply of camels in the world?

    BRILLIANT!!! 

    This country is going places, people, just you wait and see…

    Reply

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