Quality Counts 2020: Grading the States
September 2, 2020

As the 2020-21 school year opens amid the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption, this third and final installment of Quality Counts 2020 delivers a data-driven portrait of the nation’s school system along with A-F grades and rankings for each state on a wide range of academic, school finance, and socioeconomic indicators.
Also in this report: an exclusive Coronavirus Learning Loss Risk Index using recent U.S. Census Bureau data to weigh states’ educational vulnerability in key areas, in addition to the first full update of Quality Counts’ K-12 Achievement Index since 2018.
To catch up on the first installment of Quality Counts 2020 (“Chance for Success”) click here. For the second installment (“School Finance”) click here.
Also in this report: an exclusive Coronavirus Learning Loss Risk Index using recent U.S. Census Bureau data to weigh states’ educational vulnerability in key areas, in addition to the first full update of Quality Counts’ K-12 Achievement Index since 2018.
To catch up on the first installment of Quality Counts 2020 (“Chance for Success”) click here. For the second installment (“School Finance”) click here.
- States How School-Quality Data Can Help Leaders Weigh Risk Amid CrisisThe final installment of Quality Counts 2020 offers long-range perspective and analysis of current data from the EdWeek Research Center as school leaders work to reopen K-12 safely and efficiently amid the coronavirus pandemic.States Nation's Schools Get a 'C' Once Again, Even as Pandemic Turns Up the HeatNew Jersey leads the states on Quality Counts 2020’s summative rankings based on previous years’ data. But the annual report card shows plenty of work needed all around as the pressure mounts.States Coronavirus Learning Loss Risk Index Reveals Big Equity ProblemsRecent Census data finds households in the South and Midwest lagging those in other regions in access to remote learning technologies and learning interactions with teachers and family members.Education Mapping How States Stack Up on Academic Risk During COVID-19An EdWeek Research Center analysis finds nearly half the states at high or very high risk of students not having access to tools and conditions for crucial learning during the coronavirus pandemic.States Nation Shows Mediocre Academic Performance as Pandemic ContinuesAn overall grade of C-minus on the Quality Counts’ K-12 Achievement Index, along with uneven performance from both low- and high-achieving states, illustrate the challenges ahead for school leaders.States Map: A-F Grades, Rankings for States on School QualityHere’s a map showing grades for all the states on this year’s Quality Counts summative report card, on which the nation gets a C overall, along with a snapshot of the top- and bottom-ranking states.States Nation Gets a C-Minus on K-12 AchievementExamine the grades and scores that states and the nation earned on the K-12 Achievement Index in Quality Counts 2020, along with how they scored on a host of indicators that go into those rankings.States Methodology & Grading ScaleHere's a quick and easy guide to the grading scale and each of the indicators that go into making up the 50-state grades for this year's Quality Counts.