Massachusetts Named #1 State In Public School Rankings
Although the end of July may be considered too early to think about “back to school,” there is no harm in starting to prepare. WalletHub released their report for the best states for public schools in the country this week, and Massachusetts claimed the #1 spot.
Over the past few years, many families with children starting school have looked for towns with excellent school systems. This priority has intensified. WalletHub explained that “needs have become even more specialized in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused significant learning loss and decreased test scores for many students.”
In order to properly examine each state’s public school system, WalletHub zoned in on two primary categories. They were overall quality and safety. From there, 32 different metrics were established within each category and assigned a score. Totaling these scores, Massachusetts ranked the highest in K-12 public education.
Inside The Numbers
Massachusetts, with the best public school ranking, had a total score of 73.02. This was almost eight points higher than the second-ranked state, Connecticut. The margin between these two New England states was the largest on the list.
Massachusetts finished with the #1 score in both quality and safety. Breaking that down further, the Bay State was the highest in both math and reading test scores. In the safety area, we finished as the fifth lowest state in the percentage of threatened or injured High School students.
Overall, New England faired very well in WalletHub’s analysis. In addition to Connecticut ranking second, New Hampshire was also in the top 10, ranking 6th. Maine was then 15, and Vermont was 21 (Rhode Island was at the top of the bottom half at 26).
For now, go back and enjoy your summer plans. We still have a full month of August to swim or road-trip around, and for kids to run wild at camps. However, with autumn in the on-deck circle, it’s certainly nice to know that Massachusetts was named the best state in recent public school rankings.
Massachusetts Lighthouse Named One Of The Most Beautiful In The World
What do Porto, Portugal, Crete, Greece, and Scituate, Massachusetts have in common? They all have historic lighthouses. In fact, in Trips To Discover’s recent guide, they named Old Scituate Light, along Massachusetts’ south shore one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world.
The 1800’s
This landmark dates back to the year 1810. “Congress voted to build a lighthouse at the harbor, and the light made of split granite blocks with a house attached and was activated the following year (1811),” Trips To Discover explains. It was the 11th lighthouse in the United States upon completion. It cost $4,000. Shortly after, Captain Simeon Bates, his wife and nine children lived at the house. Bates was the first keep of this lighthouse.
“Because mariners complained that the light could not be seen from far enough away to make proper heading adjustments, the U.S. Government added fifteen feet in height to the tower in 1827, mortaring red brick on top of the granite blocks,” Scituate’s Historical Society explains.
The 1900’s
The town of Scituate acquired the lighthouse from the government in 1916 for $1,000. Fourteen years later, a new lantern room was built at the top. 1994 marked one of the most memorable events in Old Scituate Light’s history as it was relit, making it visible from the sea for the first time in 134 years. Three years prior, it had been relit to be seen on land only.
Present Day
Old Scituate Light is a very popular south shore attraction. Every day people can be seen taking pictures of this lighthouse. Select dates are released each year that detail when it will be open to the public. Walkways along the water’s edge surround it for guests to explore the area. One of this destination’s most notable elements is the attached cottage. That remains a private residence that is the lightkeeper’s cottage.
While many tourists travel to the south shore of Massachusetts for the beaches and boating, stopping by one of the most beautiful lighthouses in the world is also a site worth seeing.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
