°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳

Special Report
States From Our Research Center

Quality Counts 2014: State and National Highlights Reports

January 04, 2014 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

The Quality Counts 2014 Highlights Reports capture all of the data you need to assess your state’s performance in key areas. The information is presented in a series of charts and graphs, and includes comparisons to national averages. You won’t want to miss your state’s data, so download your copy now. Your report includes:

State Grades

  • Chance for Success Index (2014)
  • K-12 Achievement (2014)
  • School Finance (2014)
  • Transitions and Alignment (2013)
  • Standards, Assessments, and Accountability (2012)
  • Teaching Profession (2012)

Special for Quality Counts 2014

  • Breakdown of District Enrollment by State
  • Educator Attitudes on School District Governance and Operations

State Highlights Reports are available for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia and compare individual state data to national data.

The National Highlights Report includes the national average and data for the top and bottom states.

About These Reports

BRIC ARCHIVE

The 18th annual edition of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳â€ÈÙ Quality Counts continues the tradition of tracking key education indicators and grading the states on their performance and outcomes. This year’s report also focuses on school district governance and operations as its special theme, examining the impact of the increasingly complex fiscal, political, and technological forces that are challenging school districts and prompting efforts to cope with new pressures. °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ journalists take an in-depth look at the prominent developments—including school choice initiatives, district mergers, and federal policy shifts— transforming the traditional environment for education governance.

To complement the report’s journalism, the °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ Research Center conducted an original survey of school district administrators, who shared their insights and opinions on factors influencing governance and operations in their systems, high-profile reform options, and non-traditional schooling models. Highlights of the study are featured in the report.

This year’s report also features newly updated 50-state information on results in three of the areas monitored by the report on an ongoing basis as part of Quality Counts’ State of the States framework: the Chance for Success Index; the K-12 Achievement Index; and school finance.

To provide a comprehensive perspective on state policy and performance, the 2014 State Highlights Reports integrate updated findings for 2014 with policy data from previous editions of Quality Counts. Those policy categories include data for: standards, assessments, and accountability; the teaching profession; and transitions and alignment. Most of the indicators that appear in Quality Counts are based on original analyses and state-survey data from the °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ Research Center, supplemented by information published by other organizations.

Overall findings from Quality Counts show that some states perform consistently well or poorly across the full range of graded categories. However, a closer examination of the results reveals that most states post a strong showing in at least one area. This suggests that while broad evaluations of state rankings and performance can be useful, a deeper reading of the results presented in this State Highlights Report will provide a more nuanced perspective on the educational condition of the nation and the states.

°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ Research Center January 2014

You may also like reports from previous years:

National Highlights Report

State Highlights Reports (in Alphabetical Order)

Related Tags:

In March 2024, °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ announced the end of the Quality Counts report after 25 years of serving as a comprehensive K-12 education scorecard. In response to new challenges and a shifting landscape, we are refocusing our efforts on research and analysis to better serve the K-12 community. For more information, please go here for the full context or learn more about the EdWeek Research Center.

A version of this article appeared in the January 09, 2014 edition of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum Big AI Questions for Schools. How They Should Respond 
Join this free virtual event to unpack some of the big questions around the use of AI in K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM’s Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

States Which States Require the Most—and Least—Instructional Time? Find Out
There's no national policy dictating how much time students must attend classes each year. That leads to wide variation by state.
2 min read
Image of someone working on a calendar.
Chainarong Prasertthai/iStock/Getty
States More States Are Testing the Limits Around Religion in Public Schools
A wave of state policies mixing public education and religion are challenging the church-state divide in public schools.
4 min read
An empty classroom is shown at A.G. Hilliard Elementary School on Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston.
An empty classroom is shown at A.G. Hilliard Elementary School on Sept. 2, 2017, in Houston. Texas's state school board has approved a curriculum with Bible-infused lessons, the latest of a wave of state policies challenging the church-state divide in schools.
David J. Phillip/AP
States A State Changed Anti-Bias Guidelines for Teachers After a Lawsuit. Will Others?
The lawsuit filed by a conservative law firm took issue with state guidelines on examining biases and diversifying curriculum.
5 min read
Students arrive for classes at Taylor Allderdice High School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2024.
Students arrive for classes at Taylor Allderdice High School in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, 2024. As part of a recent court settlement, Pennsylvania will no longer require school districts to follow its set of guidelines that sought to confront racial and cultural biases in education.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
States In Deep-Red Florida, Voters Reject Partisan School Board Races
Florida voters rejected a constitutional amendment to make school board races partisan.
2 min read
Image of a board room.
Collage by Laura Baker/°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ (Images: DigitalVision Vectors; E+; iStock/Getty)