PA: 9th in National Report on Education

A new national report card released by Education Week magazine ranks Pennsylvania 7th among states for K-12 student achievement and 9th overall.
Governor Ed Rendell said the report is good news for Pennsylvania "on measuring the impact of our significant education investments."

Pennsylvania earned an overall grade of B minus, with a score of 80.1; the national grade is a C, at 76.3. Pennsylvania scored 75.6 percent for K-12 achievement... above the national average of 68.7 percent.

The report, "Quality Counts 2011: Uncertain Forecast: Education Adjusts to a New Economic Reality," scored Pennsylvania in the top third in five of the six categories it examined.
Rendell said Pennsylvania has made eight straight years of improvements in student achievement in math and reading, with 290,000 more students performing at grade level since 2003. He said the commonwealth’s continued investment in education is reaping dividends...

“Education is a key to our state’s economic future and to the personal success of our children. It’s perhaps the most important economic tool there is. Investments in education are critical to developing a workforce with the skills necessary for good-paying jobs, and one that will help attract and expand business here."