School is getting ready to start up again, and students are getting excited about new friends, new teachers, new backpacks, and a brand new start.  And there's this not-so-happy news that Texas ranks among the lowest in the US for SAT scores, so we gotta buckle down.  There is one bright spot though.

The personal finance website, Wallethub, released a study that has Texas schools ranked 36th overall, and 48th when it comes to SAT scores.  Ick.  If juniors and seniors are relying on SAT scores to get into college, this study might mean states like Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire are getting into the Ivy League schools before a Texan.  But we know there are exceptions to every rule and Texas has plenty of smarties too.

To come up with the best school systems in America, WalletHub used criteria ranging from pupil-teacher ratio to dropout rate to median standardized-test scores.

This is how it all breaks down for Texas:

Quality & Safety of Schools in Texas (1=Best; 25=Avg.):

24th – Math Test Scores
43rd – Reading Test Scores
29th – Pupil-Teacher Ratio
48th – Median SAT Score
25th – Median ACT Score
28th – % of Licensed/Certified Public K–12 Teachers
5th – Dropout Rate
16th – Bullying Incidence Rate
31st – % of Threatened/Injured High School Students

The best news is, Texas has fixed problems with the dropout rate and is now among the best in the nation at keeping students in school and helping them graduate.  And the math test scores are in the top half of among all states, and bullying incidents are rarer here than they are in most other states.

The first day of school in Lufkin is coming up fast!  Students are headed back to class August 15th.  In Nacogdoches, the first day of school is August 27th.  It's going to be a great year, right?

For the full report, visit Wallethub.com.  And make that great year happen.

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