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|
2002 SMARTEST STATE AWARD |
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|
ALPHA ORDER |
RANK ORDER |
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|
RANK |
STATE |
SUM |
RANK |
STATE |
SUM |
|
|
41 |
Alabama |
(7.41) |
1 |
Connecticut |
13.04 |
|
|
25 |
Alaska |
0.26 |
2 |
Vermont |
12.33 |
|
|
44 |
Arizona |
(7.98) |
3 |
Montana |
11.43 |
|
|
38 |
Arkansas |
(5.96) |
4 |
New Jersey |
9.81 |
|
|
29 |
California |
(2.51) |
5 |
Maine |
9.65 |
|
|
27 |
Colorado |
(0.78) |
6 |
Wisconsin |
8.77 |
|
|
1 |
Connecticut |
13.04 |
7 |
Massachusetts |
8.00 |
|
|
43 |
Delaware |
(7.76) |
8 |
Wyoming |
6.68 |
|
|
47 |
Florida |
(12.66) |
9 |
Indiana |
6.04 |
|
|
40 |
Georgia |
(7.19) |
10 |
Rhode Island |
5.85 |
|
|
45 |
Hawaii |
(9.44) |
11 |
Iowa |
4.99 |
|
|
22 |
Idaho |
1.43 |
12 |
Minnesota |
4.98 |
|
|
33 |
Illinois |
(3.41) |
13 |
Nebraska |
4.87 |
|
|
9 |
Indiana |
6.04 |
14 |
Kansas |
4.50 |
|
|
11 |
Iowa |
4.99 |
15 |
Pennsylvania |
4.41 |
|
|
14 |
Kansas |
4.50 |
16 |
Texas |
4.08 |
|
|
28 |
Kentucky |
(1.67) |
17 |
Utah |
3.67 |
|
|
49 |
Louisiana |
(17.18) |
18 |
West Virginia |
3.53 |
|
|
5 |
Maine |
9.65 |
19 |
New Hampshire |
3.49 |
|
|
30 |
Maryland |
(2.65) |
20 |
Michigan |
2.52 |
|
|
7 |
Massachusetts |
8.00 |
21 |
North Dakota |
2.06 |
|
|
20 |
Michigan |
2.52 |
22 |
Idaho |
1.43 |
|
|
12 |
Minnesota |
4.98 |
23 |
Oregon |
0.80 |
|
|
48 |
Mississippi |
(17.09) |
24 |
North Carolina |
0.64 |
|
|
31 |
Missouri |
(2.71) |
25 |
Alaska |
0.26 |
|
|
3 |
Montana |
11.43 |
26 |
New York |
(0.50) |
|
|
13 |
Nebraska |
4.87 |
27 |
Colorado |
(0.78) |
|
|
46 |
Nevada |
(10.73) |
28 |
Kentucky |
(1.67) |
|
|
19 |
New Hampshire |
3.49 |
29 |
California |
(2.51) |
|
|
4 |
New Jersey |
9.81 |
30 |
Maryland |
(2.65) |
|
|
50 |
New Mexico |
(25.92) |
31 |
Missouri |
(2.71) |
|
|
26 |
New York |
(0.50) |
32 |
Oklahoma |
(2.74) |
|
|
24 |
North Carolina |
0.64 |
33 |
Illinois |
(3.41) |
|
|
21 |
North Dakota |
2.06 |
34 |
South Dakota |
(3.97) |
|
|
41 |
Ohio |
(7.41) |
35 |
Washington |
(4.23) |
|
|
32 |
Oklahoma |
(2.74) |
36 |
South Carolina |
(4.97) |
|
|
23 |
Oregon |
0.80 |
37 |
Virginia |
(5.83) |
|
|
15 |
Pennsylvania |
4.41 |
38 |
Arkansas |
(5.96) |
|
|
10 |
Rhode Island |
5.85 |
39 |
Tennessee |
(6.98) |
|
|
36 |
South Carolina |
(4.97) |
40 |
Georgia |
(7.19) |
|
|
34 |
South Dakota |
(3.97) |
41 |
Alabama |
(7.41) |
|
|
39 |
Tennessee |
(6.98) |
41 |
Ohio |
(7.41) |
|
|
16 |
Texas |
4.08 |
43 |
Delaware |
(7.76) |
|
|
17 |
Utah |
3.67 |
44 |
Arizona |
(7.98) |
|
|
2 |
Vermont |
12.33 |
45 |
Hawaii |
(9.44) |
|
|
37 |
Virginia |
(5.83) |
46 |
Nevada |
(10.73) |
|
|
35 |
Washington |
(4.23) |
47 |
Florida |
(12.66) |
|
|
18 |
West Virginia |
3.53 |
48 |
Mississippi |
(17.09) |
|
|
6 |
Wisconsin |
8.77 |
49 |
Louisiana |
(17.18) |
|
|
8 |
Wyoming |
6.68 |
50 |
New Mexico |
(25.92) |
|
| METHODOLOGY--The
Smartest State designation is awarded based on 21
factors chosen from Morgan Quitno’s new annual reference book, Education
State Rankings, 2002-2003. These factors reflect a strong commitment
to students and teachers, an emphasis on excellence in the classroom and
support of safe, well-run public schools (see box below.) To determine 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 for a state. 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 weighted scores then were added together to get 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 first annual Smartest State Award. |
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