Home Page

Press Releases

 

 

 

 

Home

Annual Books

Awards Online

Press Releases

Help/Info

About Us/Contact

Smartest State Award 2006-2007

Which State Is Smartest?

See Rankings Below or Click on These Links for More Information:

Press Release | Factors | Prior Years' Rankings | MQ Home | Methodology | About Us

Click Here for the Complete 2006 Smartest State Award Publication

 

#1 Ranking is "Smartest"

2006-2007 Smartest State Award

ALPHA ORDER RANK ORDER
RANK STATE

SMART RATING

2005-2006 RANK

CHANGE   RANK STATE

SMART RATING

2005-2006 RANK

CHANGE

45

Alabama

-11.00

43

-2

 

1

Vermont

18.57

1

0

46

Alaska

-11.91

44

-2

 

2

Massachusetts

16.09

3

1

50

Arizona

-17.61

50

0

 

3

Connecticut

14.46

2

-1

32

Arkansas

-3.44

37

5

 

4

New Jersey

14.35

4

0

47

California

-13.10

46

-1

 

5

Maine

10.79

5

0

27

Colorado

-1.32

23

-4

 

6

Virginia

10.07

7

1

3

Connecticut

14.46

2

-1

 

7

Montana

9.55

9

2

28

Delaware

-2.47

25

-3

 

8

Wisconsin

9.04

8

0

29

Florida

-2.90

36

7

 

9

Iowa

8.82

14

5

41

Georgia

-6.92

40

-1

 

10

Pennsylvania

8.69

11

1

42

Hawaii

-9.31

42

0

 

11

Nebraska

6.40

12

1

20

Idaho

1.29

28

8

 

12

New Hampshire

5.90

15

3

35

Illinois

-4.32

32

-3

 

13

Minnesota

5.33

6

-7

24

Indiana

0.06

26

2

 

14

Rhode Island

4.31

16

2

9

Iowa

8.82

14

5

 

15

Kansas

4.27

13

-2

15

Kansas

4.27

13

-2

 

16

New York

3.66

10

-6

31

Kentucky

-3.24

35

4

 

17

South Dakota

3.25

18

1

44

Louisiana

-10.95

45

1

 

18

Maryland

2.27

19

1

5

Maine

10.79

5

0

 

19

Wyoming

1.35

17

-2

18

Maryland

2.27

19

1

 

20

Idaho

1.29

28

8

2

Massachusetts

16.09

3

1

 

21

North Dakota

0.95

20

-1

39

Michigan

-6.43

27

-12

 

22

Missouri

0.94

21

-1

13

Minnesota

5.33

6

-7

 

23

North Carolina

0.84

22

-1

48

Mississippi

-14.78

49

1

 

24

Indiana

0.06

26

2

22

Missouri

0.94

21

-1

 

25

Texas

-0.11

24

-1

7

Montana

9.55

9

2

 

26

South Carolina

-1.19

29

3

11

Nebraska

6.40

12

1

 

27

Colorado

-1.32

23

-4

49

Nevada

-15.81

47

-2

 

28

Delaware

-2.47

25

-3

12

New Hampshire

5.90

15

3

 

29

Florida

-2.90

36

7

4

New Jersey

14.35

4

0

 

30

Tennessee

-3.01

41

11

43

New Mexico

-10.60

48

5

 

31

Kentucky

-3.24

35

4

16

New York

3.66

10

-6

 

32

Arkansas

-3.44

37

5

23

North Carolina

0.84

22

-1

 

33

Washington

-3.85

30

-3

21

North Dakota

0.95

20

-1

 

34

Ohio

-4.00

31

-3

34

Ohio

-4.00

31

-3

 

35

Illinois

-4.32

32

-3

36

Oklahoma

-5.81

39

3

 

36

Oklahoma

-5.81

39

3

40

Oregon

-6.87

38

-2

 

37

West Virginia

-5.82

34

-3

10

Pennsylvania

8.69

11

1

 

38

Utah

-6.30

33

-5

14

Rhode Island

4.31

16

2

 

39

Michigan

-6.43

27

-12

26

South Carolina

-1.19

29

3

 

40

Oregon

-6.87

38

-2

17

South Dakota

3.25

18

1

 

41

Georgia

-6.92

40

-1

30

Tennessee

-3.01

41

11

 

42

Hawaii

-9.31

42

0

25

Texas

-0.11

24

-1

 

43

New Mexico

-10.60

48

5

38

Utah

-6.30

33

-5

 

44

Louisiana

-10.95

45

1

1

Vermont

18.57

1

0

 

45

Alabama

-11.00

43

-2

6

Virginia

10.07

7

1

 

46

Alaska

-11.91

44

-2

33

Washington

-3.85

30

-3

 

47

California

-13.10

46

-1

37

West Virginia

-5.82

34

-3

 

48

Mississippi

-14.78

49

1

8

Wisconsin

9.04

8

0

 

49

Nevada

-15.81

47

-2

19

Wyoming

1.35

17

-2

 

50

Arizona

-17.61

50

0

METHODOLOGY--This fifth Smartest State designation is awarded based on 21 factors chosen from Morgan Quitno’s annual reference book, Education State Rankings, 2006-2007.  To calculate the Smartest State rankings, the 21 factors were divided into two groups: those that are “negative” for which a high ranking would be considered bad for a state, and those that are “positive” for which a high ranking would be considered good. Rates for each of the 21 factors were processed through a formula that measures how a state compares to the national average for a given category. The positive and negative nature of each factor was taken into account as part of the formula. Once these computations were made, the factors then were assigned equal weights. These scores then were added together to determine a state’s final score (“SUM” on the table above.) This way, states are assessed based on how they stack up against the national average. The end result is that the farther below the national average a state’s education ranking is, the lower (and less smart) it ranks. The farther above the national average, the higher (and smarter) a state ranks. This same methodology is used for our annual Healthiest State, Safest and Most Dangerous State and Safest/Dangerous City Awards.

The table above shows how each state scored in Morgan Quitno’s fifth annual Smartest State Award.