Idaho has been recognized for excellent public education outcomes in a new national education report from The Heritage Foundation that ranks the state at #3 in the nation overall, citing low spending numbers and strong academic achievement.
The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank based in Washington D.C., has released their Education Freedom Report Card, a survey of all 50 states in the areas of school choice, academic transparency, regulatory freedom and spending. States are then assigned an overall rank based on these results.
Idaho performs well in all areas, and the foundation acknowledges the state’s academic achievement and dedication to responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The foundation says the return on investment, along with a successful commitment to transparency, are two contributing factors in the state’s overall #3 ranking.
For years, Idaho has been ranked at or near the bottom in the nation for per-student spending. However the foundation cites Idaho’s strong scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests, noting the state ranks 11th nationwide in its combined average scores for fourth-and eighth grade math and reading. According to The Heritage Foundation, the fact that Idaho keeps spending numbers low while consistently delivering strong academic achievement puts the state ahead of most others in the nation.
