U.S. states ranked in new education integrity and freedom reports

New reports have evaluated state-level education policies across the United States, focusing on parental rights, school choice, and curriculum transparency.

A report from Defending Education titled Rankings on Integrity in State Education (RISE) scored all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The rankings assessed categories including gender and sexuality, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), parental rights, teacher policies, and foreign influence. Tennessee achieved the highest score, followed by Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and Iowa. The District of Columbia ranked lowest, followed by Illinois, Oregon, California, and Rhode Island.

Separately, the Heritage Foundation released an education freedom report where Florida ranked first for the fifth consecutive year. The report highlighted Florida’s school choice options and curriculum transparency. In contrast, Minnesota ranked 33rd overall, specifically scoring 44th in education choice due to a lack of private school scholarship opportunities compared to other states. Other top performers in the Heritage Foundation report included Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, and Iowa.