Home Page

Press Releases

 

 

 

 

Which State Is Smartest?

See Rankings Below or Click on These Links for More Information:

Press Release | Factors | MQ Home | Methodology | About Us

Click Here for the Complete 2003 Smartest State Award Publication
 

#1 Ranking is "Smartest"

2003-2004 Smartest State Award
ALPHA ORDER   RANK ORDER
RANK STATE SMART RATING 2002-2003 RANK* CHANGE RANK STATE SMART RATING 2002-2003 RANK* CHANGE
46 Alabama -11.82 41 -5   1 Massachusetts 16.59 7 6
23 Alaska -0.08 25 2   2 Vermont 16.43 2 0
45 Arizona -10.44 44 -1   3 Connecticut 15.8 1 -2
38 Arkansas -5.76 38 0   4 Montana 9.48 3 -1
44 California -9.45 29 -15   5 New Jersey 9.39 4 -1
35 Colorado -3.41 27 -8   6 Maine 7.67 5 -1
3 Connecticut 15.8 1 -2   7 Pennsylvania 7.33 15 8
19 Delaware 1.89 43 24   8 Wisconsin 6.55 6 -2
40 Florida -6.14 47 7   8 Iowa 6.55 11 3
36 Georgia -5.22 40 4   10 New York 6.16 26 16
43 Hawaii -7.8 45 2   11 Nebraska 5.24 13 2
30 Idaho -1.49 22 -8   12 Minnesota 4.38 12 0
27 Illinois -1.02 33 6   13 Indiana 3.93 9 -4
13 Indiana 3.93 9 -4   14 Wyoming 3.54 8 -6
8 Iowa 6.55 11 3   15 Kansas 3.12 14 -1
15 Kansas 3.12 14 -1   16 Rhode Island 2.92 10 -6
37 Kentucky -5.32 28 -9   17 Virginia 2.59 37 20
47 Louisiana -14.28 49 2   18 Maryland 2.58 30 12
6 Maine 7.67 5 -1   19 Delaware 1.89 43 24
18 Maryland 2.58 30 12   20 Michigan 1.22 20 0
1 Massachusetts 16.59 7 6   21 North Carolina 0.99 24 3
20 Michigan 1.22 20 0   22 Ohio 0.02 41 19
12 Minnesota 4.38 12 0   23 Alaska -0.08 25 2
48 Mississippi -17.44 48 0   24 North Dakota -0.32 21 -3
28 Missouri -1.3 31 3   25 Utah -0.37 17 -8
4 Montana 9.48 3 -1   26 New Hampshire -0.83 19 -7
11 Nebraska 5.24 13 2   27 Illinois -1.02 33 6
49 Nevada -17.74 46 -3   28 Missouri -1.3 31 3
26 New Hampshire -0.83 19 -7   29 West Virginia -1.31 18 -11
5 New Jersey 9.39 4 -1   30 Idaho -1.49 22 -8
50 New Mexico -22.04 50 0   31 South Dakota -2.37 34 3
10 New York 6.16 26 16   32 Oregon -2.78 23 -9
21 North Carolina 0.99 24 3   33 Washington -2.88 35 2
24 North Dakota -0.32 21 -3   34 Texas -2.93 16 -18
22 Ohio 0.02 41 19   35 Colorado -3.41 27 -8
39 Oklahoma -6.06 32 -7   36 Georgia -5.22 40 4
32 Oregon -2.78 23 -9   37 Kentucky -5.32 28 -9
7 Pennsylvania 7.33 15 8   38 Arkansas -5.76 38 0
16 Rhode Island 2.92 10 -6   39 Oklahoma -6.06 32 -7
41 South Carolina -6.34 36 -5   40 Florida -6.14 47 7
31 South Dakota -2.37 34 3   41 South Carolina -6.34 36 -5
42 Tennessee -7.15 39 -3   42 Tennessee -7.15 39 -3
34 Texas -2.93 16 -18   43 Hawaii -7.8 45 2
25 Utah -0.37 17 -8   44 California -9.45 29 -15
2 Vermont 16.43 2 0   45 Arizona -10.44 44 -1
17 Virginia 2.59 37 20   46 Alabama -11.82 41 -5
33 Washington -2.88 35 2   47 Louisiana -14.28 49 2
29 West Virginia -1.31 18 -11   48 Mississippi -17.44 48 0
8 Wisconsin 6.55 6 -2   49 Nevada -17.74 46 -3
14 Wyoming 3.54 8 -6   50 New Mexico -22.04 50 0

*This column shows how each state ranked in the 2002-2003 Smartest State Award competition. Please note that these results are not directly comparable to this year’s rankings due to changes in factors.
METHODOLOGY--This second Smartest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from Morgan Quitno’s annual reference book, Education State Rankings, 2003-2004. Most of the factors are the same as those used to determine last year’s award. However, based partially on feedback from readers, four factors were replaced. Gone are factors measuring the percent of teachers with training for IEP students, the percent of teachers stating that physical conflicts among students were a problem at their school and the percent of teachers who believed that routine duties and paperwork interfered with their jobs. Also dropped was the average teacher salary, a factor that many readers contended unfairly favored states with high costs of living. Instead, we have retained the factor relating average salary to a state’s average annual pay. The new factors measure special education pupil-teacher ratios, students’ writing ability and the interest parents take in homework.

To determine the Smartest State rankings, the 21 factors were divided into two groups: those that are “negative” for which a high ranking would be considered bad for a state, and those that are “positive” for which a high ranking would be considered good. Rates for each of the 21 factors were processed through a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given category. The positive and negative nature of each factor was taken into account as part of the formula. Once these computations were made, the factors then were assigned equal weights. These weighted scores then were added together to get a state’s final score (“Smart Rating” on the table above.) This way, states are assessed based on how they stack up against the national average. The end result is that the farther below the national average a state’s education ranking is, the lower (and less smart) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and smarter) a state ranks. This same methodology is used for our annual Healthiest State, Safest and Most Dangerous State and Safest/Dangerous City Awards. The table above shows how each state scored in Morgan Quitno’s second annual Smartest State Award.

The table above shows how each state scored in Morgan Quitno’s second annual Smartest State Award.