Grading GA: New Study Shows Where School Districts Rank Nationally

Pop quiz - how do Georgia school systems fare among those in the nation? A recent survey says not so well.

While the Peach State did not ace WalletHub's study of this year's best and worst school systems, which were released on Monday, experts did not rank Georgia at the bottom of the list.

Instead, they scored Georgia with a 46.05 out of 100 overall tally, making the southern state 38th on the list of best and worst school districts in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Analysts examined 32 key metrics when making their choices among the supreme K-12 school districts.

Quality and safety were factored into determining the states with the premier school systems, or lack thereof, to which Georgia ranked 38th and 41st respectively.

“Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the report. "How funds are applied also plays a big role in how good a school system is, as does the quality of educators, other professionals and the curriculum. In addition, schools need to focus not just on test scores but also on making sure that students feel safe, comfortable and cared for.”

The worst school systems are in New Mexico, which was hit with a 30.37 score on the survey.

Georgia may not be the pick of the bunch for national school districts, but the most elite system statewide sits in metro Atlanta, according to a Niche ranking released earlier in the year.

Buford City Schools earned an A+, but Oconee County Schools (No. 2) and Forsyth County Schools (No. 3) closely followed to be among the crème de la crème.

Related:

• 17 GA Colleges Ranked Among Top In U.S. For 2025
• GA’s Best Schools 2024: Rankings For High Schools, Elementary, College
• These 2 GA Universities Ranked Among World’s Best By US News

In 2024, Georgia broke its previous high-school graduation record of 84.4 percent by 1 percent, state education officials said. Past data showed the graduation rate continued to increase in Georgia, with the Education Department previously declaring support of local districts and schools.

Here is where the top 10 states rank among best school systems:

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. New Jersey
4. Virginia
5. New Hampshire
6. Wisconsin
7. Rhode Island
8. Indiana
9. Maryland
10. New York

See WalletHub's full list here.