The Quality Counts 2014 Highlights Reports capture all of the data you need to assess your state鈥檚 performance in key areas. The information is presented in a series of charts and graphs, and includes comparisons to national averages. You won鈥檛 want to miss your state鈥檚 data, so download your copy now. Your report includes:
State Grades
- Chance for Success Index (2014)
- K-12 Achievement (2014)
- School Finance (2014)
- Transitions and Alignment (2013)
- Standards, Assessments, and Accountability (2012)
- Teaching Profession (2012)
Special for Quality Counts 2014
- Breakdown of District Enrollment by State
- Educator Attitudes on School District Governance and Operations
State Highlights Reports are available for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia and compare individual state data to national data.
The National Highlights Report includes the national average and data for the top and bottom states.
About These Reports
The 18th annual edition of Education Week鈥荣 Quality Counts continues the tradition of tracking key education indicators and grading the states on their performance and outcomes. This year鈥檚 report also focuses on school district governance and operations as its special theme, examining the impact of the increasingly complex fiscal, political, and technological forces that are challenging school districts and prompting efforts to cope with new pressures. Education Week journalists take an in-depth look at the prominent developments鈥攊ncluding school choice initiatives, district mergers, and federal policy shifts鈥� transforming the traditional environment for education governance.
To complement the report鈥檚 journalism, the Education Week Research Center conducted an original survey of school district administrators, who shared their insights and opinions on factors influencing governance and operations in their systems, high-profile reform options, and non-traditional schooling models. Highlights of the study are featured in the report.
This year鈥檚 report also features newly updated 50-state information on results in three of the areas monitored by the report on an ongoing basis as part of Quality Counts鈥� State of the States framework: the Chance for Success Index; the K-12 Achievement Index; and school finance.
To provide a comprehensive perspective on state policy and performance, the 2014 State Highlights Reports integrate updated findings for 2014 with policy data from previous editions of Quality Counts. Those policy categories include data for: standards, assessments, and accountability; the teaching profession; and transitions and alignment. Most of the indicators that appear in Quality Counts are based on original analyses and state-survey data from the Education Week Research Center, supplemented by information published by other organizations.
Overall findings from Quality Counts show that some states perform consistently well or poorly across the full range of graded categories. However, a closer examination of the results reveals that most states post a strong showing in at least one area. This suggests that while broad evaluations of state rankings and performance can be useful, a deeper reading of the results presented in this State Highlights Report will provide a more nuanced perspective on the educational condition of the nation and the states.
Education Week Research Center January 2014
