This Is the Best School District in America

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As a parent, it’s natural to want your child to go to a school that fosters a positive learning environment to help them build a successful future. And while the type of school you choose won’t necessarily make or break your child’s future, some parents find the search for the right school to be a harrowing experience. Fortunately, the real estate website homes.com has made a user-friendly interactive map of the top public and private schools, plus the overall best school districts in each state, to ease the process for you.

According to site’s data analysis, Jericho Union Free School District in Jericho, New York, on Long Island earned the honor of being named the best school district in America for the 2018-2019 school year.

But here’s a twist—the best schools in the country weren’t actually within the Jericho Union Free School District. The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora, Illinois, leads as the top public school in America. Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, ranks as the best private school in the country.

The school rankings came from niche.com, a site that aggregates data to rank U.S. colleges, schools, and neighborhoods. School district scores were calculated based on academic ranking, teacher rating, food, diversity, and health safety, among other variables. Since homes.com only looked at the top schools in each state, none of the schools or districts had an overall ranking of less than an A-. In fact, Jericho Union Free School District received an A+ grade in most key metrics such as academics, teachers, and more. Aside from ranking number one in the country, the district also made it to the top of the leaderboard as the safest and best school district in the state of New York.

And you can tell that the students appreciate the quality education that they’re receiving. “I’ve had teachers who will stay after hours, after the day is already over, just to help me with assignments or help me understand something,” Jack Mok, a student who just graduated from Jericho High School, told ABC 7. Plus, the students are incredibly smart; at least 89 percent of the nearly 3,000 students in grades K-12 are proficient in math, and 84 percent are proficient in reading, according to test scores analyzed by niche.com. Don’t miss these 11 secret habits of straight-A students that everyone should steal.

Of course, the cost of living in a reputable school district may come with a hefty price-tag. Most houses in the area sell from $800,000 to more than $1 million, according to niche.com.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you and your family in selecting the perfect school that fits everyone’s needs. No matter where you live or what school you send your kids to, make sure you memorize these back-to-school secrets only parents of “A” students know.