Wisconsin public schools are among the best in the nation, according to objective measures of educational accomplishment. Wisconsin's great schools are ranked:

  • First for the percentage of highly qualified teachers in the nation. In Wisconsin, 98.6% of the teachers meet the standards for being "highly qualified" under the revised Elementary and Secondary Education Act. (Associated Press review 2002-03.)

  • First or second on the ACT college entrance examination. For 16 consecutive years, Wisconsin high school students have scored 1st or 2nd on the exam. (ACT, Inc. "National and State Scores," 2005.)  {NOTE:  2006 ACT scores indicate Wisconsin is again 2nd!  Only Minnesota scores higher by 0.1 point}

  • Second for graduation rates. Wisconsin's graduation rate is the second highest in the country with 90.0% of public school students receiving a diploma. (National Center for Education Statistics, "Public High School Dropouts and Completers from the Common Core of Data," 2000-01.)

  • Second lowest in dropout rates. Wisconsin's 2.3% dropout rate is second lowest in the nation. (National Center for Education Statistics, "Public High School Dropouts and Completers from the Common Core of Data," 2000-01.)

  • Second in the world on an international science test comparison. (National Center for Education Statistics, "Linking the Assessment of Educational Progress and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study: A Technical Report," August 1998.)

  • Third on the SAT. Wisconsin students had the third highest SAT college entrance exam scores in the country in 2004. Wisconsin public schools consistently outscore Wisconsin private schools on the SAT.

  • Fourth in the percentage of 8th graders scoring at the highest two levels in math in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (National Center for Education Statistics, "Nation's Report Card: Mathematics Highlights 2003," November 2003.)

  • Sixth in percentage of 8th graders scoring at the highest two levels in reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. (National Center for Education Statistics, "Nation's Report Card: Reading Highlights 2003.")

  • One of the eight "smartest states" based on the quality of public elementary and secondary schools. (Education State Rankings 2003-04: "Pre K-12 Education in the 50 United States" by Morgan Quitno Press: Lawrence, KS. September 2003.)

  • In the top 10 for Advanced Placement scores. Of Wisconsin high school students taking Advanced Placement exams, 68% earn a score high enough to qualify for college credit. (College Board, "2003 AP National and State Summary Report Tables.")

  • Among the safest in the nation. Wisconsin has the lowest number of high school students carrying guns to school. Wisconsin has the fourth-lowest level of students who felt too unsafe to go to school. (Center for Disease Control, "Youth Risk Behavior," 2003.)

 

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