Ranking the nation’s best school districts

Illinois boasts three of the top five school districts in America, according to a new ranking released last week. Here’s what makes these districts great.

Niche, a popular online rankings and reviews website, used user input, reviews and quantitative data (academics, number of teachers, resources, facilities, extracurriculars) to create this year’s ranking of the best school districts in America. According to such data, the Glenbrook High School District 225 in Illinois earned the nation’s top spot.

Niche gives each district a letter grade in nine categories: academics, teachers, clubs and activities, sports, resources and facilities, diversity, college prep, administration and food. Glenbrook received at least an A in every category except diversity (B+).

Other school districts that earned the top five spot include:

• Syosset Central School District (Syosset, New York)
• Roslyn Union Free School District (Roslyn, New York)
• New Trier Township High School District No. 203 (Northfield, Illinois)
• Township High School District No. 113 (Highland Park, Illinois)

Niche’s Top 5 Schools Rankings

Niche also compiled a list of the best schools in the nation, offering a healthy mix of both public and private schools. Schools were graded based on similar criteria: academics, teachers, clubs and activities, diversity, college prep and sports.

Let’s take a look at the list of the best public schools in the country:

1. North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (Durham, North Carolina)
2. The Davidson Academy (Reno, Nevada)
3. MA Academy for Math & Science School (Worcester, Massachusetts)
4. South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (Hartsville, South Carolina)
5. Stuyvesant High School (New York City Geographic District No. 2, New York)

View the complete rankings here.

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