Oregon public schools ranked among worst in U.S., study shows

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregon’s K-12 public schools are some of the worst in the country, according to a new report by WalletHub.

Oregon school systems ranked 45th among all U.S. states and Washington, D.C., according to the report. The Beaver State landed between Alabama (44) and West Virginia (46) on the list. The State of Washington, meanwhile, ranked 23rd in the U.S.

WalletHub created its rankings by analyzing data related to school “quality” and “safety,” the personal finance website said. These categories include statistics like graduation rates, test scores, access to instructional materials, injuries, and drug prevalence in schools.

WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe said that schools need more than funding to succeed.

“Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success,” Happe said. “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.”

Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey and Wisconsin ranked among the top five states on the list. The bottom five states include New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arizona, Alaska and Louisiana.

“Massachusetts is the state with the best school systems, boasting some of the best test scores in the country,” the report reads. “Massachusetts ranks first when it comes to eighth-grade math and fourth-grade reading scores, and second for grade 4 math and grade 8 reading.”