Report card

Texas flunks out in new ranking of America's best school systems

Texas has the 29th best public school system in the U.S., according to WalletHub.

Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Texans may think everything here is bigger and better, but the Lone Star State has fallen behind many other states in America when it comes to ensuring the academic success of its children, according to a new report by personal finance website WalletHub.

Texas landed a middling rank as No. 29 in WalletHub's annual "States with the Best and Worst School Systems (2024)" report, earning a score of 49.86 out of 100 total possible points.

The report examined all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine the quality and safety of each state's public school system. Thirty-two metrics were considered in the study, including school graduation/dropout rates, standardized test scores, SAT/ACT scores, the number of school shootings, youth incarceration rates, and more.

Massachusetts is home to the No. 1 best public school system in the nation, earning a score of 74.36 points.

According to the study's findings, Texas has the sixth highest rate of bullying, and the eighth highest dropout rate in the nation. The state ranked No. 34 for its median ACT scores, and No. 40 in the nationwide ranking of median SAT scores.

Here's how WalletHub broke down Texas' ranking in other educational categories:

No. 1 – Existence of Digital Learning Plan
No. 18 – Math test scores
No. 29 – Percentage of licensed/certified public K-12 teachers
No. 31 – Pupil-teacher ratio
No. 40 – Percentage of threatened/injured high school students
No. 42 – Reading test scores

Moreover, Texas ranked No. 46 nationally for its spending on its public school system, the sixth lowest out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. For context, New York spends the most on its public schools, and the state ranked No. 8 in the overall ranking of best public school systems.

Source: WalletHub

While securing enough public school funding is important for students' education, WalletHub analyst Cassandra Happe warns that "simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success." What school districts do with that money is what matters.

"How funds are applied also plays a big role in how good a school system is, as does the quality of educators, other professionals and the curriculum," Happe said in the report. "In addition, schools need to focus not just on test scores but also on making sure that students feel safe, comfortable and cared for.”

Despite Texas' bleak state ranking, two distinguished Houston high schools were ranked among the best high schools in the country earlier in 2024. Twenty-two other Houston schools were included on the list of top 100 schools in Texas.

The top 10 states with the best public school systems are:

No. 1 – Massachusetts
No. 2 – Connecticut
No. 3 – Maryland
No. 4 – New Jersey
No. 5 – Wisconsin
No. 6 – New Hampshire
No. 7 – Nebraska
No. 8 – New York
No. 9 – Virginia
No. 10 – North Dakota

The full report and its methodology can be found on wallethub.com.

texas wallethub rankings reports schools

in-person experience

Meta's first Texas store brings virtual reality to the Galleria

Courtesy of Meta

The Meta Lab is now open in the Galleria.

Social media giant Meta has arrived in Houston with a new store that allows shoppers to go hands-on with all of its products. Located near Zara on level two of the Galleria, The Meta Lab is now open daily.

Shoppers will find all of Meta’s virtual reality products at the store, including including Meta Glasses, Ray-Ban Meta, Meta Ray-Ban Display, Oakley Meta HSTN, and Oakley Meta Vanguard. People can also try out demos of the company’s virtual reality gaming headsets, the Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S.

Visitors are encouraged to put the devices on in order to experience what it’s like to wear and use them. Those who need prescription lenses for their Meta glasses can order those at the store, too.

It is the ninth Meta Lab to open nationwide and the first in Texas.

Prices start at about $225 for Ray-Ban Meta glasses and go up to $799 for the Meta Ray-Ban Display, which has an in-lens display for updates and other information. Meta Quest runs from $349 to $599.

"Our approach to experiential retail is rooted in culture, creativity, and self-expression, and we're committed to building a space that reflects the Houston community," a spokesperson told the Houston Chronicle. "We look forward to welcoming people into a new experience to get hands-on with our AI glasses and VR products."

Courtesy of Meta

The Meta Lab is now open in the Galleria.

shopping the-galleria meta lab openings