Quality Counts 2015: State and National Highlights Reports
The Quality Counts 2015 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:
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.
Your Report Includes
State Summative Grades
Chance for Success Index (2015)
K-12 Achievement (2014)
School Finance (2015)
Special for Quality Counts 2015
Early Education Index state grades (2015)
- Preschool and kindergarten enrollment rates
- Preschool enrollment rate gains
- Preschool poverty gap and poverty gap changes
- Full-day preschool and kindergarten enrollment rates
- Head Start participation
National data on early education enrollment by
- Age
- Family income
- Ethnicity/race
- Public versus private programs
You may also like reports from previous years:
About These Reports
The 19th annual edition of Quality Counts resumes Education Week鈥檚 long-standing tradition of grading the states on their performance. This year, those grades return in a newer, leaner form that focuses on outcomes rather than on policy and processes. A state鈥檚 overall grade is the average of its scores on the three separate indices tracked by the report. These legacy indices are Chance-for-Success (updated in 2015); K12 Achievement (updated in 2014); and school finance (updated in 2015). State Highlights Reports contain each jurisdiction鈥檚 data on the summative grades, the three indices and the nearly 40 indicators that comprise Quality Counts鈥� overall grading rubric.
This year鈥檚 report also focuses on early-childhood education as its special theme, examining how new academic demands and accountability pressures are altering the learning environment for young children and the educators serving them. For this year鈥檚 report, the Education Week Research Center issued state and national grades for a new Early Education Index, which draws on an original analysis of participation in early-education programs, poverty-based gaps in enrollment, and trends over time.
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.
In March 2024, Education Week announced the end of the Quality Counts report after 25 years of serving as a comprehensive K-12 education scorecard. In response to new challenges and a shifting landscape, we are refocusing our efforts on research and analysis to better serve the K-12 community. For more information, please go here for the full context or learn more about the EdWeek Research Center.