New York is seen as having one of the best school systems in the US, according to a recent report from WalletHub.
New York ranks 10th overall when including factors such as levels of recognition compared to other schools across the country, graduation rates, test results, dropout rate, pupil-teacher ratio and number of licensed teachers. Additionally, New York offered the seventh highest-quality level of educational services and had the fifth-lowest student-to-teacher ratio.
However, the state fell to 20th when it came to safety. The criteria for this score includes certain learning aspects such as the existence of a digital learning plan, out of school access and accessible technologies as well as health issues such as the share of threatened or injured students, parents who agree if their child attends a safe school, access to substances, shootings and bullying. According to US News, New York finished 27th in National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Math and Reading Test scores.
“State and local policymakers must see the school as part of the community and not in isolation,” said Jamie Kudlats, Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at UNC.
“They should engage the resources available from non-profits and community organizations as well as local colleges and universities in providing tutoring, after-school educational as well as child care programs for working parents, enrichment classes in sports and the arts, medical care, family counseling, and teacher training.”
New York ranks first in total expenditures for day schools per student, or per-pupil spending. The total number of per-pupil spending for New York is just over $35,000 per student according to Empire Center. Of the $254 billion in Hochul’s 2025 Executive Budget, $35.3 billion will be given to total school aid. But, as proof that more money doesn’t necessarily mean better performance, New York was 45th in graduation rates according to World Population Review.
“Research shows that, on average, school-based factors only account for about 30% of the variation in student outcomes,” said Ashlyn Aiko Nelson, Associate Professor for Indiana University. “Within schools, teacher quality—as measured by value-added to student achievement, and not by traditional measures such as scores on state licensure exams or possessing a master’s degree in education—is the factor that explains the greatest variation in student outcomes.”