Choosing a neighborhood to raise a family can be a tough task, but a recent list of the top-ranked school systems in the country could make it easier for parents-to-be looking to settle down.
Neighborhood gurus Niche.com conducted "rigorous analysis of academic and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education" to rank the best schools in the nation.
By scoring each district in 10 different categories of varying weights - from Academics (50%), to Teachers (15%), Cultural Diversity (10%), and Sports (2.5%) - Niche was able to build a comprehensive ranking system for over 11,000 school districts in the country. Head here for a full explanation of their methodology.
While Ohio and Pennsylvania school districts claimed the top 3 spots, the Massachusetts towns of Wellesley and Lexington both crack the national Top 10, coming in at #8 and #10 respectively, with Newton public at #19.
Below is a list of the 10 best school districts in the Commonwealth.
1. Wellesley
Wellesley Square. (Photo by John Phelan/Wikipedia)
With a total of nine schools and 5,067 students, Wellesley has a student-teacher ratio of 13 to 1 and scored highly across all 10 categories. 83% of Wellesley students are at least proficient in math, with 89% proficient in reading. The Norfolk County municipality has a total population of 27,982.
Get the full report here.
2. Lexington
The Minute Man. (Photo by Daderot/Wikipedia)
With a total of 10 schools and 6,785 students, Lexington has a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1 and earned A ratings in academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, administration, sports, resources and facilities, and health and safety. Located in Middlesex County, the town of 31,394 has 88% of students at least proficient in math and 91% proficient in reading.
Get the full report here.
3. Newton
Chestnut Hill Reservoir. (Photo by Wikipedia)
With a total of 22 schools and 12,674 students, Newton has a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1 and earned A ratings in nearly every category except for diversity. Newton also took home first place in our list of the richest cities in Massachusetts.
Get the full report here.
4. Westford
Old Westford Academy, now the Westford Museum. (Photo by John Phelan)
With 5,139 students across 10 schools, Westford has a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1 and earned A ratings in academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, administration, sports, resources and facilities, and health and safety, but scored a B- in diversity. State test scores indicate that 88% of students are at least proficient in math and 91% are proficient in reading.
Get the full report here.
5. Cambridge
Harvard University's Kirkland House. (Photo by William B. Plowman/Getty Images)
Cambridge, with a total of 17 schools and 6,539 students, has a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1 and earned A ratings in all categories. That said, its state test scores indicate that only 64 percent of students were at least proficient in math and 72 percent were at least proficient in reading, significantly lower than other entries on this list.
Get the full report here.
6. Belmont
Looking north on Leonard Street. (Photo by John Phelan/Wikipedia)
Belmont has a total of six schools and 4,466 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 17 to 1. The town scored an A rating in all categories except for food, diversity, health & safety, and resources.
7. Weston
Town Hall. (Photo by Daderot/Wikipedia)
Weston has a total of five schools and 2,253 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. The town earned A ratings in academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, administration, resources and facilities, and health and safety, but B ratings in diversity, food, and sports.
8. Brookline
Brookline Village MBTA Stop. (Photo by Ddogas/Wikipedia)
Brookline has a total of 12 schools and 7,508 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1 and A ratings in academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, administration, resources and facilities, and diversity. Brookline earned B ratings in sports and health and safety.
9. Wayland
First Parish in Wayland. (Photo by John Phelan/Wikipedia)
Wayland has a total of five schools and 2,659 students, with a student-teacher ratio of 12 to 1 and A ratings in academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, administration, sports, and health and safety.
10. Acton and Boxborough
Acton-Boxborough Regional High School. (Photo by Jhwilliams/Wikipedia)
With a combined school district totaling eight schools and 5,658 students, Acton-Boxborough has a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1 and earned A ratings in academics, teachers, clubs and activities, college prep, administration, sports, resources and facilities, and health and safety.