Study: Illinois Has 10th Best School System in the U.S.

Back-to-school season is here! At least that's what the signs say in every store I go into these days. With both of my kids yet to hit school age I'm still able to watch from afar.

With education on the brain, the personal finance website WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of 2015's States with the Best & Worst School Systems.

To find the best school systems, WalletHub compared the quality of education in the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia by analyzing 13 key metrics. The data set includes such metrics as the pupil-teacher ratio, dropout rates, standardized-test scores and bullying incidents rates.

Where did Illinois land?

Well, not at the top but certainly in the ballpark. According to WalletHub:

Quality of Schools in Illinois (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

• 1^st – % of High School Graduates Who Completed the ACT
• 26^th – Bullying Incidents Rate
• 30^th – Pupil-Teacher Ratio
• 23^rd – Dropout Rate
• 27^th – School Safety
• 2^nd – Average SAT Score

Here's where the rest of the states rank: