U.S. school system receives a grade of C by Quality Counts report; 10 states given a grade of D

The U.S. school system received a grade of C in Education Week's 2015 Quality Counts reports, and several states with large rural populations were given a grade of D. Grades were based on three categories: "The Chance-for-Success Index provides a cradle-to-career perspective on the role that education plays in promoting positive outcomes throughout a person's life. The school finance analysis assesses spending patterns and equity. The K-12 Achievement Index rates states on current academic performance, change over time and poverty-based gaps."

"To score the states in all three of these areas, the center employs a 'best-in-class' approach," reports Education Week. "For each indicator in a given category, the top state receives 100 points. All other states are awarded points based on their performance relative to that state. Category scores are calculated as the average of scores across indicators. A state's overall summative score is the average of the three graded categories."

Massachusetts had the highest score, 86.2, followed by New Jersey (85.5), Maryland (85.2), Vermont (83.0), New Hampshire (82.4), Connecticut (82.3), Wyoming (80.6), Pennsylvania (80.1) and New York (80). Mississippi ranks last with a grade of D and score of 64.2. Also earning grades of D are Nevada (65), New Mexico (65.5), Arizona and Oklahoma (67.6), Idaho and Alabama (67.7), Louisiana (68.5), South Carolina (68.9) and California (69.2). (Read more) (To view an interactive map click here)