Best of the Best: Missouri’s 20 Highest-Rated School Districts

I always feel odd sharing data and rankings about Missouri school districts since I didn't attend nearly as much school as most of my peers, but perhaps that's a story for a different day. The numbers don't lie though as there are 20 Missouri school districts that are more highly-rated than the rest of the state.

Niche has recently released their new 2024 rankings for the best school districts in Missouri and it's truly the best of the best. Districts that seem to be successful with not just their students, but also their faculty and local communities as a whole. They've ranked the entire state of Missouri, but here are the top 20 just announced:

• 1. Ladue School District
• 2. School District of Clayton
• 3. Kirkwood R-VII
• 4. Blue Springs R-IV School District
• 5. Rockwood R-VI School District
• 6. Parkway School District
• 7. Brentwood
• 8. Lee's Summit R-VII School District
• 9. Webster Groves School District
• 10. Maplewood-Richmond Heights
• 11. Pattonville R-3 School District
• 12. Branson R-IV School District
• 13. Francis Howell School District
• 14. Orchard Farm R-V School District
• 15. Ft. Zumwalt R-II
• 16. Nixa Public Schools
• 17. Wentzville R-IV School District
• 18. Park Hill
• 19. Carl Junction R-I School District
• 20. Jackson R-II School District

For the record, every single one of these Missouri school districts received an 'A' grade and there are even more than the top 20 that received that honor.

There's a narrative in the national media about Missouri being uneducated and backwards and that simply is not true. The state is fortunate to have so many great school districts and hard-working educators and this new 2024 ranking is even more proof of that.