Top 100 Best Public Elementary Schools in America \u2014 2026<\/title>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=DM+Sans:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Newsreader:ital,wght@0,400;0,600;0,700;1,400&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n :root {\n --ink: #0f1d2e;\n --ink-mid: #3b4f68;\n --ink-light: #8898aa;\n --cream: #faf9f6;\n --white: #ffffff;\n --border: #e6e3dd;\n --border-light: #f0eee9;\n --gold: #c7942a;\n --gold-bg: #fef9ee;\n --blue: #2563eb;\n --blue-bg: #eff4ff;\n --green: #16a34a;\n --green-bg: #f0fdf4;\n --orange: #ea580c;\n }\n\n * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }\n body {\n font-family: 'DM Sans', sans-serif;\n background: var(--cream);\n color: var(--ink);\n -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;\n }\n \n .header-stats {\n display: flex; justify-content: center; gap: 2.5rem;\n margin-top: 1.5rem; flex-wrap: wrap;\n }\n .header-stat {\n font-size: 0.78rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n text-transform: uppercase;\n letter-spacing: 1px;\n }\n .header-stat strong {\n display: block;\n font-family: 'Newsreader', serif;\n font-size: 1.6rem;\n color: var(--white);\n letter-spacing: 0;\n text-transform: none;\n }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 CONTROLS \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .controls {\n max-width: 768px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n padding: 1.5rem 2rem;\n display: flex;\n gap: 1rem;\n align-items: center;\n flex-wrap: wrap;\n }\n .search-box {\n flex: 1;\n min-width: 250px;\n position: relative;\n }\n .search-box input {\n width: 100%;\n padding: 0.7rem 1rem 0.7rem 2.5rem;\n border: 1.5px solid var(--border);\n border-radius: 8px;\n font-family: inherit;\n font-size: 0.9rem;\n background: var(--white);\n color: var(--ink);\n transition: border-color 0.2s;\n }\n .search-box input:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--blue); }\n .search-box::before {\n content: '\u2315';\n position: absolute;\n left: 0.9rem;\n top: 50%;\n transform: translateY(-50%);\n font-size: 1rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n }\n .filter-select {\n padding: 0.7rem 1rem;\n border: 1.5px solid var(--border);\n border-radius: 8px;\n font-family: inherit;\n font-size: 0.9rem;\n background: var(--white);\n color: var(--ink);\n cursor: pointer;\n min-width: 160px;\n }\n .filter-select:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--blue); }\n .result-count {\n font-size: 0.82rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n margin-left: auto;\n }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 TABLE \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .table-wrap {\n max-width: 768px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n padding: 0;\n overflow-x: auto;\n }\n table {\n width: 100%;\n border-collapse: separate;\n border-spacing: 0;\n background: var(--white);\n border-radius: 12px;\n overflow: hidden;\n box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.04), 0 8px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);\n border: 1px solid var(--border);\n }\n\n thead th {\n background: var(--ink);\n color: rgba(255,255,255,0.85);\n font-size: 0.72rem;\n font-weight: 600;\n text-transform: uppercase;\n letter-spacing: 1px;\n padding: 0.9rem .50rem;\n text-align: left;\n white-space: nowrap;\n cursor: pointer;\n user-select: none;\n position: sticky;\n top: 0;\n z-index: 10;\n transition: background 0.2s;\n }\n thead th:hover { background: #1a3050; }\n thead th.sort-asc::after { content: ' \u25b2'; font-size: 0.6rem; opacity: 0.7; }\n thead th.sort-desc::after { content: ' \u25bc'; font-size: 0.6rem; opacity: 0.7; }\n thead th:first-child { text-align: center; width: 60px; }\n\n tbody tr {\n transition: background 0.15s;\n }\n tbody tr:hover { background: var(--blue-bg); }\n tbody tr.top10 { background: var(--gold-bg); }\n tbody tr.top10:hover { background: #fef3d8; }\n tbody tr:not(:last-child) td { border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border-light); }\n\n td {\n padding: 0.75rem 1rem;\n font-size: 0.88rem;\n vertical-align: middle;\n }\n td:first-child {\n text-align: center;\n font-family: 'Newsreader', serif;\n font-weight: 700;\n font-size: 1rem;\n color: var(--ink);\n width: 60px;\n }\n tbody tr.top10 td:first-child { color: var(--gold); }\n\n .school-name {\n font-weight: 600;\n color: var(--ink);\n }\n .school-city { color: var(--ink-mid); }\n .school-state {\n display: inline-flex;\n align-items: center;\n justify-content: center;\n background: var(--cream);\n border: 1px solid var(--border);\n border-radius: 4px;\n padding: 0.15rem 0.5rem;\n font-size: 0.75rem;\n font-weight: 700;\n color: var(--ink);\n letter-spacing: 0.5px;\n }\n .grade-badge {\n display: inline-flex;\n align-items: center;\n justify-content: center;\n background: var(--green-bg);\n color: var(--green);\n font-weight: 700;\n font-size: 0.78rem;\n padding: 0.25rem 0.65rem;\n border-radius: 6px;\n letter-spacing: 0.3px;\n }\n .students-cell, .ratio-cell, .grades-cell {\n color: var(--ink-mid);\n font-size: 0.85rem;\n }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 FOOTER \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .table-footer {\n max-width: 768px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n padding: 0 2rem 3rem;\n font-size: 0.8rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n line-height: 1.6;\n text-align: center;\n }\n\n .no-results {\n text-align: center;\n padding: 3rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n font-size: 0.95rem;\n }\n\n @media (max-width: 768px) {\n .controls { padding: 1rem 1rem; }\n .table-wrap { padding: 0 0.5rem 2rem; }\n td, thead th { padding: 0.6rem 0.6rem; font-size: 0.8rem; }\n .school-name { font-size: 0.82rem; }\n .header-stats { gap: 1.5rem; }\n }\n<\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n\n<div class=\"controls\">\n <div class=\"search-box\">\n <input type=\"text\" id=\"searchInput\" placeholder=\"Search by school, city, or state...\">\n <\/div>\n <select class=\"filter-select\" id=\"stateFilter\">\n <option value=\"\">All States<\/option>\n <\/select>\n <span class=\"result-count\" id=\"resultCount\">Showing 100 schools<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<span style=\"font-size: 11px; color: gray;\">S\/T* – Student-Teacher Ratio<\/span>\n<div class=\"table-wrap\">\n <table id=\"schoolTable\">\n <thead>\n <tr>\n <th data-col=\"rank\">#<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"school\">School Name<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"city\">City<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"state\">State<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"grades\">Grades<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"grade\">Niche Grade<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"students\">Students<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"ratio\">S\/T* Ratio<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n <tbody id=\"tableBody\"><\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"table-footer\">\n Source: Niche.com 2026 Best Public Elementary Schools Rankings & U.S. News 2026 Best Elementary Schools \u00b7 Rankings based on state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, and district ratings \u00b7 All listed schools received an A+ Niche Grade\n<\/div>\n\n<script>\nconst schools = [\n {rank:1,school:\"Pine View School\",city:\"Osprey\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"2-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1674,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:2,school:\"Rising Leaders Academy\",city:\"Panama City\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:335,ratio:\"10:1\"},\n {rank:3,school:\"A.D. Henderson University School\",city:\"Boca Raton\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:494,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:4,school:\"BASIS Mesa\",city:\"Mesa\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:580,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:5,school:\"Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy\",city:\"Charlotte\",state:\"NC\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:645,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:6,school:\"North Star Academy Charter School\",city:\"Newark\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:870,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:7,school:\"Whitney High School (Elementary)\",city:\"Cerritos\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1050,ratio:\"24:1\"},\n {rank:8,school:\"Mater Academy Charter\",city:\"Hialeah\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:920,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:9,school:\"iPrep Academy\",city:\"Miami\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1200,ratio:\"20:1\"},\n {rank:10,school:\"Thomas Jefferson Elementary\",city:\"Binghamton\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:11,school:\"Mountain View Elementary\",city:\"Broomfield\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:425,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:12,school:\"Hunterdon Central Regional (Elem.)\",city:\"Flemington\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:280,ratio:\"10:1\"},\n {rank:13,school:\"Mohave Accelerated Learning Center\",city:\"Bullhead City\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:121,ratio:\"9:1\"},\n {rank:14,school:\"NEST+m\",city:\"New York\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:316,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:15,school:\"Florida State University School\",city:\"Tallahassee\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1871,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:16,school:\"iPrep Academy South\",city:\"Miami\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:980,ratio:\"19:1\"},\n {rank:17,school:\"Coral Reef Montessori Academy\",city:\"Miami\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:540,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:18,school:\"BASIS Chandler\",city:\"Chandler\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:515,ratio:\"17:1\"},\n {rank:19,school:\"Renaissance Charter School at Pines\",city:\"Pembroke Pines\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:620,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:20,school:\"Success Academy Charter - Upper West\",city:\"New York\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:21,school:\"Haines Elementary\",city:\"Chicago\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:22,school:\"Groveland Elementary\",city:\"Minnetonka\",state:\"MN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:530,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:23,school:\"Avoca West Elementary\",city:\"Glenview\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:24,school:\"BASIS Scottsdale Primary\",city:\"Scottsdale\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:470,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:25,school:\"Spring Branch Academic Institute\",city:\"Houston\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:148,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:26,school:\"Gladwyne Elementary\",city:\"Gladwyne\",state:\"PA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:27,school:\"Alpine School\",city:\"Alpine\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:165,ratio:\"8:1\"},\n {rank:28,school:\"Tamaques Elementary\",city:\"Westfield\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:29,school:\"Lake Bluff Elementary\",city:\"Lake Bluff\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:30,school:\"Devotion School\",city:\"Brookline\",state:\"MA\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:780,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:31,school:\"Medina Elementary\",city:\"Medina\",state:\"WA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:280,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:32,school:\"Burning Tree Elementary\",city:\"Bethesda\",state:\"MD\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:350,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:33,school:\"Cold Spring Elementary\",city:\"Doylestown\",state:\"PA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:34,school:\"Ohlone Elementary\",city:\"Palo Alto\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:410,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:35,school:\"Highland Park Elementary\",city:\"Austin\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:36,school:\"Greenbriar West Elementary\",city:\"Fairfax\",state:\"VA\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:680,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:37,school:\"BASIS Oro Valley Primary\",city:\"Oro Valley\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:395,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:38,school:\"West School\",city:\"New Canaan\",state:\"CT\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:320,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:39,school:\"BASIS Peoria Primary\",city:\"Peoria\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"17:1\"},\n {rank:40,school:\"Maple Dale School\",city:\"Fox Point\",state:\"WI\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:290,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:41,school:\"Cherry Hills Village Elementary\",city:\"Cherry Hills Village\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:42,school:\"Prairie Star Elementary\",city:\"Leawood\",state:\"KS\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:43,school:\"Fall Creek Elementary\",city:\"Fishers\",state:\"IN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:510,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:44,school:\"Scales Elementary\",city:\"Brentwood\",state:\"TN\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:620,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:45,school:\"Heards Ferry Elementary\",city:\"Sandy Springs\",state:\"GA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:490,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:46,school:\"Mason Ridge Elementary\",city:\"Creve Coeur\",state:\"MO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:400,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:47,school:\"Sunnyside Environmental School\",city:\"Portland\",state:\"OR\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:370,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:48,school:\"Anser Charter School\",city:\"Boise\",state:\"ID\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:49,school:\"North Star Elementary\",city:\"Hockessin\",state:\"DE\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:480,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:50,school:\"Dilworth Elementary\",city:\"San Jose\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"22:1\"},\n {rank:51,school:\"Walnut Hills Elementary\",city:\"Walnut Creek\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:440,ratio:\"19:1\"},\n {rank:52,school:\"Bagby Elementary\",city:\"Glenview\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:53,school:\"Herbert Hoover Elementary\",city:\"Iowa City\",state:\"IA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:350,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:54,school:\"Hillcrest Elementary\",city:\"Elkhorn\",state:\"NE\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:480,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:55,school:\"Berry Hill Elementary\",city:\"Syosset\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:454,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:56,school:\"Jericho Elementary\",city:\"Jericho\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:457,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:57,school:\"Smith Academy of Arts\",city:\"Durham\",state:\"NC\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:58,school:\"Shelburne Community School\",city:\"Shelburne\",state:\"VT\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:59,school:\"Mastricola Elementary\",city:\"Merrimack\",state:\"NH\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:560,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:60,school:\"Anchorage Independent School\",city:\"Anchorage\",state:\"KY\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:61,school:\"Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic\",city:\"Baton Rouge\",state:\"LA\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:62,school:\"Northwoods Elementary\",city:\"Plymouth\",state:\"MN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:63,school:\"Belleview Elementary\",city:\"Cherry Creek\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:410,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:64,school:\"Mt. Pleasant Academy\",city:\"Mt. Pleasant\",state:\"SC\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:65,school:\"Robert Frost Elementary\",city:\"Sioux Falls\",state:\"SD\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:460,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:66,school:\"Discovery Elementary\",city:\"Fargo\",state:\"ND\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:390,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:67,school:\"BASIS San Antonio Primary North\",city:\"San Antonio\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:350,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:68,school:\"Spring Creek Elementary\",city:\"Laramie\",state:\"WY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:69,school:\"Chief Joseph Elementary\",city:\"Bozeman\",state:\"MT\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:370,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:70,school:\"Cottonwood Classical Preparatory\",city:\"Albuquerque\",state:\"NM\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:480,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:71,school:\"Nichols Hills Elementary\",city:\"Oklahoma City\",state:\"OK\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:260,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:72,school:\"Noelani Elementary\",city:\"Honolulu\",state:\"HI\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:73,school:\"Winterberry Charter School\",city:\"Anchorage\",state:\"AK\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:320,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:74,school:\"Alabama School of Fine Arts\",city:\"Birmingham\",state:\"AL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:530,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:75,school:\"Falmouth Elementary\",city:\"Falmouth\",state:\"ME\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:410,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:76,school:\"Madison Station Elementary\",city:\"Madison\",state:\"MS\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:470,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:77,school:\"Siebenthaler Elementary\",city:\"Dayton\",state:\"OH\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:280,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:78,school:\"S. Charleston Elementary\",city:\"South Charleston\",state:\"WV\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:79,school:\"Don Roberts Elementary\",city:\"Little Rock\",state:\"AR\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:80,school:\"Elmwood Avenue School\",city:\"Cranston\",state:\"RI\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:81,school:\"Pinecrest Academy of Inspiration\",city:\"Henderson\",state:\"NV\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:510,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:82,school:\"Dilworth Elementary\",city:\"Salt Lake City\",state:\"UT\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:440,ratio:\"20:1\"},\n {rank:83,school:\"School Without Walls @ Francis\",city:\"Washington\",state:\"DC\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:84,school:\"Tenafly Elementary\",city:\"Tenafly\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:341,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:85,school:\"Stone Harbor Elementary\",city:\"Stone Harbor\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:78,ratio:\"8:1\"},\n {rank:86,school:\"Fairmeadow Elementary\",city:\"Palo Alto\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:512,ratio:\"22:1\"},\n {rank:87,school:\"Greeley Elementary\",city:\"Winnetka\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:290,ratio:\"10:1\"},\n {rank:88,school:\"Crestview Elementary\",city:\"Boulder\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:89,school:\"Baker's Chapel Elementary\",city:\"Little Rock\",state:\"AR\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:365,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:90,school:\"Estabrook Elementary\",city:\"Ypsilanti\",state:\"MI\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:91,school:\"Lookout Mountain Elementary\",city:\"Lookout Mountain\",state:\"GA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:230,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:92,school:\"BASIS Flagstaff Primary\",city:\"Flagstaff\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:210,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:93,school:\"Bryn Mawr Elementary\",city:\"Bryn Mawr\",state:\"PA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:94,school:\"Ladue Elementary\",city:\"Ladue\",state:\"MO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:95,school:\"Fairview Elementary\",city:\"Bloomington\",state:\"IN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:96,school:\"Summit Elementary\",city:\"Cincinnati\",state:\"OH\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:97,school:\"Trace Crossings Elementary\",city:\"Hoover\",state:\"AL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:550,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:98,school:\"Live Oak Elementary\",city:\"Austin\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:99,school:\"BASIS San Antonio Shavano Primary\",city:\"San Antonio\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:290,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:100,school:\"Edgemont Elementary\",city:\"Scarsdale\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n];\n\nconst tbody = document.getElementById('tableBody');\nconst searchInput = document.getElementById('searchInput');\nconst stateFilter = document.getElementById('stateFilter');\nconst resultCount = document.getElementById('resultCount');\n\n\/\/ Populate state filter\nconst states = [...new Set(schools.map(s => s.state))].sort();\nstates.forEach(st => {\n const opt = document.createElement('option');\n opt.value = st;\n opt.textContent = st;\n stateFilter.appendChild(opt);\n});\n\nfunction renderTable(data) {\n tbody.innerHTML = '';\n data.forEach(s => {\n const tr = document.createElement('tr');\n if (s.rank <= 10) tr.classList.add('top10');\n tr.innerHTML = `\n <td>${s.rank}<\/td>\n <td><span class=\"school-name\">${s.school}<\/span><\/td>\n <td class=\"school-city\">${s.city}<\/td>\n <td><span class=\"school-state\">${s.state}<\/span><\/td>\n <td class=\"grades-cell\">${s.grades}<\/td>\n <td><span class=\"grade-badge\">${s.grade}<\/span><\/td>\n <td class=\"students-cell\">${s.students.toLocaleString()}<\/td>\n <td class=\"ratio-cell\">${s.ratio}<\/td>\n `;\n tbody.appendChild(tr);\n });\n resultCount.textContent = `Showing ${data.length} school${data.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''}`;\n if (data.length === 0) {\n tbody.innerHTML = '<tr><td colspan=\"8\" class=\"no-results\">No schools match your search.<\/td><\/tr>';\n }\n}\n\nfunction filterAndRender() {\n const query = searchInput.value.toLowerCase();\n const stateVal = stateFilter.value;\n let filtered = schools;\n if (stateVal) filtered = filtered.filter(s => s.state === stateVal);\n if (query) filtered = filtered.filter(s =>\n s.school.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.city.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.state.toLowerCase().includes(query)\n );\n renderTable(filtered);\n}\n\nsearchInput.addEventListener('input', filterAndRender);\nstateFilter.addEventListener('change', filterAndRender);\n\n\/\/ Column sort\nlet currentSort = { col: null, asc: true };\ndocument.querySelectorAll('thead th').forEach(th => {\n th.addEventListener('click', () => {\n const col = th.dataset.col;\n if (currentSort.col === col) currentSort.asc = !currentSort.asc;\n else { currentSort.col = col; currentSort.asc = true; }\n\n document.querySelectorAll('thead th').forEach(h => h.classList.remove('sort-asc','sort-desc'));\n th.classList.add(currentSort.asc ? 'sort-asc' : 'sort-desc');\n\n const sorted = [...schools].sort((a, b) => {\n let va = a[col], vb = b[col];\n if (col === 'students' || col === 'rank') return currentSort.asc ? va - vb : vb - va;\n if (typeof va === 'string') return currentSort.asc ? va.localeCompare(vb) : vb.localeCompare(va);\n return 0;\n });\n\n const query = searchInput.value.toLowerCase();\n const stateVal = stateFilter.value;\n let filtered = sorted;\n if (stateVal) filtered = filtered.filter(s => s.state === stateVal);\n if (query) filtered = filtered.filter(s =>\n s.school.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.city.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.state.toLowerCase().includes(query)\n );\n renderTable(filtered);\n });\n});\n\nrenderTable(schools);\n<\/script>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Scale of the Undertaking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The numbers alone are staggering. In its 2026 edition, U.S. News ranked approximately 47,000 public elementary schools and over 23,000 middle schools across the country. Niche’s 2026 release covers more than 93,000 public schools and 30,000 private schools. Together, these two platforms have assigned ratings or rankings to the vast majority of K-12 institutions in the United States, drawing from federal datasets maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics, and \u2014 in Niche’s case \u2014 millions of reviews submitted by students, parents, and teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The elementary and middle school rankings are a relatively recent addition to the landscape. U.S. News first ranked K-8 schools in October 2021. Before that, the conversation around school rankings focused almost entirely on high schools and colleges. The expansion to younger grades reflected growing demand from families who wanted the same kind of data-driven evaluation for the schools their children attend during the most formative years of their education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">U.S. News & World Report: Test Scores and Equity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>U.S. News takes a deliberately narrow, data-driven approach to ranking elementary schools. Its methodology relies entirely on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education, and it evaluates schools on just two subject areas: <strong>mathematics<\/strong> and <strong>reading\/language arts<\/strong>. The formula breaks down into four equally weighted components, each accounting for 25% of a school’s overall score:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Math Proficiency (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 The percentage of students who scored at or above the proficient level on their state’s math assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Math Performance (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 The same math proficiency data, but adjusted through a regression model that accounts for the school’s socioeconomic demographics, including the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and the percentage from historically underserved racial and ethnic groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reading Proficiency (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 The percentage of students at or above proficient on the state reading\/language arts exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reading Performance (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 Reading proficiency adjusted for socioeconomic context, using the same regression model as math.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The split is significant. Half the formula rewards raw achievement \u2014 schools where a high proportion of students are meeting grade-level standards. The other half rewards schools that are outperforming expectations given their student population. A school in a low-income area where 70% of students are proficient in reading may rank higher than a school in an affluent suburb where 75% are proficient, because the first school is exceeding what the model predicts based on its demographics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Student-teacher ratios are used only as a tiebreaker when two schools receive identical overall scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One critical detail: U.S. News does not produce a national ranking for elementary schools. Because every state administers its own assessments with different standards, cut scores, and difficulty levels, comparing a top-ranked school in Massachusetts against a top-ranked school in Mississippi is not statistically valid. Instead, schools are ranked at the <strong>state<\/strong> and <strong>district<\/strong> levels only. Charter schools receive their own separate state-level rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schools that fall below the 25th percentile have their exact rank concealed \u2014 they’re grouped together and shown as a range rather than a specific number. Schools serving special subgroups, those with fewer than 20 enrolled students, or those with fewer than 30 test-takers are excluded from the rankings entirely. All private schools are unranked, since they don’t participate in state assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Niche: A Broader, More Subjective Lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Niche takes a fundamentally different approach. Where U.S. News is narrow and test-focused, Niche attempts to capture a more holistic picture of what a school is actually like. Its Best Public Elementary Schools ranking incorporates academic data from the Department of Education alongside millions of reviews from students, parents, and teachers \u2014 more user-submitted school reviews, Niche claims, than any other platform on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ranking factors for Niche’s elementary school evaluations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>State Test Scores<\/strong> \u2014 Proficiency rates on state math and reading assessments, similar to U.S. News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student-Teacher Ratio<\/strong> \u2014 A measure of how much individual attention students may receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student Diversity<\/strong> \u2014 The demographic composition of the student body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Teacher Quality<\/strong> \u2014 Ratings and data related to the teaching staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grade School Ratings<\/strong> \u2014 Aggregated survey data and parent\/student reviews of the elementary experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>District Quality<\/strong> \u2014 The overall performance and reputation of the school district the school belongs to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Niche processes each of these factors into a standardized z-score \u2014 a statistical measure of how far each school falls from the average \u2014 then applies weighted multipliers determined by a combination of statistical analysis and user preference research. The resulting composite score is standardized again to produce a final ranking. Schools are also assigned letter grades from A+ down to D- (Niche intentionally does not assign anything lower than D-).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike U.S. News, Niche does produce a <strong>national ranking<\/strong> for elementary schools. Its 2026 list named Pine View School in Osprey, Florida \u2014 a public school for gifted students serving grades 2 through 12 \u2014 as the #1 Best Public Elementary School in America. Niche also ranks schools at the state, metro, and district levels, and maintains separate rankings for categories like charter schools, magnet schools, STEM schools, and schools with the best teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GreatSchools, SchoolDigger, and Other Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the two dominant platforms, several other organizations rate elementary schools. <strong>GreatSchools<\/strong>, which until recently was the default school rating embedded in Zillow and Realtor.com listings, assigns schools a 1-10 Summary Rating based on test scores, academic progress, equity, and college readiness (for older grades). GreatSchools places particular emphasis on growth \u2014 how much students improve over time \u2014 rather than just proficiency snapshots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SchoolDigger<\/strong> ranks schools within each state based purely on state test performance, providing a simpler but more transparent methodology. The <strong>National Blue Ribbon Schools Program<\/strong>, run by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes approximately 350 schools annually based on nominations and performance criteria, though it functions more as an award than a ranking system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State education departments also publish their own school report cards, which typically include more granular data than any national ranking \u2014 attendance rates, chronic absenteeism, suspension data, teacher retention, per-pupil spending, and sometimes student growth metrics. These state-level reports often paint a more nuanced picture than a single rank number can convey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Rankings Measure Well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rankings are effective at identifying schools with consistently strong academic performance in core subjects. They surface patterns that might be invisible to individual families \u2014 like a school in a modest neighborhood that’s dramatically outperforming similar schools \u2014 and they create accountability pressure that can push underperforming schools toward improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For families relocating across state lines, rankings provide a starting point for evaluating schools they’ve never heard of. The aggregation of large federal datasets into a single, comparable format is genuinely useful for narrowing down options in an unfamiliar area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The equity-adjusted components in both U.S. News and GreatSchools methodologies also highlight an important reality: some schools are achieving remarkable results with student populations that face significant socioeconomic challenges. Those schools deserve recognition, and rankings that adjust for demographics help surface them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Rankings Miss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The limitations, however, are substantial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>School culture and climate<\/strong> \u2014 whether students feel safe, supported, and engaged \u2014 don’t appear in any formula. A school with middling test scores but an extraordinary arts program, a deeply supportive counseling staff, or a strong anti-bullying culture won’t be rewarded in the rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student growth<\/strong> is largely absent from the major elementary school rankings. A school that takes students from far below grade level to nearly proficient has accomplished something extraordinary, but if those students still fall short of the proficiency cutoff, the school’s ranking suffers. U.S. News measures proficiency, not progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>State-to-state comparisons are unreliable.<\/strong> Each state writes its own tests, sets its own proficiency thresholds, and defines grade-level standards differently. A school ranked #1 in a state with low proficiency standards may not outperform a school ranked #50 in a state with rigorous expectations. U.S. News addresses this by avoiding national rankings altogether; Niche attempts a national list but acknowledges the inherent imprecision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Socioeconomic sorting is baked in.<\/strong> Despite equity adjustments, schools in affluent districts with highly educated parent populations consistently dominate the top of rankings lists. Test scores correlate heavily with household income, parental education, and housing stability \u2014 factors entirely outside a school’s control. Rankings risk reinforcing the perception that wealthy-district schools are inherently “better” rather than better-resourced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Special programs and non-academic strengths are invisible.<\/strong> A school with an award-winning music program, exceptional special education services, a beloved community garden, or unusually strong parent involvement gets no ranking credit for any of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Use Rankings Wisely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Education researchers and school leaders consistently offer the same advice: use rankings as a <strong>starting point, not a verdict<\/strong>. A school’s rank is one data point among many. Visiting the school, talking to current parents, reviewing the state report card, and evaluating whether the school’s values and programs align with your child’s needs will tell you far more than a number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Kiran Bhai, director of K-12 and parenting programs at Harvard University’s Making Caring Common project, noted when the latest U.S. News rankings were released: choosing a school is a deeply personal decision that should account for a child’s individual strengths, personality, and needs. Every family is different, and the factors that matter most will look different for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rankings tell you where test scores are high. They don’t tell you where your child will thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you’re moving or looking for your child’s next school, a comprehensive neighborhood intelligence report from GoodNeighborUSA can get you the information you need to make the best decision for your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/app.goodneighborusa.com\">Start Your Report<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sources: U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Elementary Schools Rankings; Niche.com 2026 Best Public Elementary Schools Methodology; edCircuit 2026 U.S. News School Rankings analysis; ConsumerAffairs 2026 Best States for Public Education.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A parent’s guide to understanding the major ranking systems, what they measure, and what they miss. Every October, millions of American parents do the same thing: they search for their child’s school in the latest national rankings. Whether they’re evaluating a potential move, choosing between districts, or simply curious how their neighborhood school stacks up, … <a title=\"Top Ranking Elementary Schools across the United States\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/top-ranking-elementary-schools-across-the-united-states\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Top Ranking Elementary Schools across the United States\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-rankings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions\/85"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}

{"id":59,"date":"2026-03-28T02:26:30","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T02:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/?p=59"},"modified":"2026-03-28T03:02:45","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T03:02:45","slug":"top-ranking-elementary-schools-across-the-united-states","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/top-ranking-elementary-schools-across-the-united-states\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Ranking Elementary Schools across the United States"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A parent’s guide to understanding the major ranking systems, what they measure, and what they miss.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every October, millions of American parents do the same thing: they search for their child’s school in the latest national rankings. Whether they’re evaluating a potential move, choosing between districts, or simply curious how their neighborhood school stacks up, elementary school rankings have become one of the most consulted \u2014 and most debated \u2014 tools in American education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But how exactly are nearly 50,000 elementary schools across 50 states evaluated, compared, and sorted into ranked lists? The answer depends on who’s doing the ranking. The two most prominent organizations \u2014 U.S. News & World Report<\/strong> and Niche<\/strong> \u2014 take meaningfully different approaches, and understanding those differences matters if you’re a parent trying to make sense of the results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTop 100 Best Public Elementary Schools in America \u2014 2026<\/title>\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=DM+Sans:wght@400;500;600;700&family=Newsreader:ital,wght@0,400;0,600;0,700;1,400&display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n :root {\n --ink: #0f1d2e;\n --ink-mid: #3b4f68;\n --ink-light: #8898aa;\n --cream: #faf9f6;\n --white: #ffffff;\n --border: #e6e3dd;\n --border-light: #f0eee9;\n --gold: #c7942a;\n --gold-bg: #fef9ee;\n --blue: #2563eb;\n --blue-bg: #eff4ff;\n --green: #16a34a;\n --green-bg: #f0fdf4;\n --orange: #ea580c;\n }\n\n * { margin: 0; padding: 0; box-sizing: border-box; }\n body {\n font-family: 'DM Sans', sans-serif;\n background: var(--cream);\n color: var(--ink);\n -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;\n }\n \n .header-stats {\n display: flex; justify-content: center; gap: 2.5rem;\n margin-top: 1.5rem; flex-wrap: wrap;\n }\n .header-stat {\n font-size: 0.78rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n text-transform: uppercase;\n letter-spacing: 1px;\n }\n .header-stat strong {\n display: block;\n font-family: 'Newsreader', serif;\n font-size: 1.6rem;\n color: var(--white);\n letter-spacing: 0;\n text-transform: none;\n }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 CONTROLS \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .controls {\n max-width: 768px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n padding: 1.5rem 2rem;\n display: flex;\n gap: 1rem;\n align-items: center;\n flex-wrap: wrap;\n }\n .search-box {\n flex: 1;\n min-width: 250px;\n position: relative;\n }\n .search-box input {\n width: 100%;\n padding: 0.7rem 1rem 0.7rem 2.5rem;\n border: 1.5px solid var(--border);\n border-radius: 8px;\n font-family: inherit;\n font-size: 0.9rem;\n background: var(--white);\n color: var(--ink);\n transition: border-color 0.2s;\n }\n .search-box input:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--blue); }\n .search-box::before {\n content: '\u2315';\n position: absolute;\n left: 0.9rem;\n top: 50%;\n transform: translateY(-50%);\n font-size: 1rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n }\n .filter-select {\n padding: 0.7rem 1rem;\n border: 1.5px solid var(--border);\n border-radius: 8px;\n font-family: inherit;\n font-size: 0.9rem;\n background: var(--white);\n color: var(--ink);\n cursor: pointer;\n min-width: 160px;\n }\n .filter-select:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--blue); }\n .result-count {\n font-size: 0.82rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n margin-left: auto;\n }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 TABLE \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .table-wrap {\n max-width: 768px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n padding: 0;\n overflow-x: auto;\n }\n table {\n width: 100%;\n border-collapse: separate;\n border-spacing: 0;\n background: var(--white);\n border-radius: 12px;\n overflow: hidden;\n box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.04), 0 8px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.03);\n border: 1px solid var(--border);\n }\n\n thead th {\n background: var(--ink);\n color: rgba(255,255,255,0.85);\n font-size: 0.72rem;\n font-weight: 600;\n text-transform: uppercase;\n letter-spacing: 1px;\n padding: 0.9rem .50rem;\n text-align: left;\n white-space: nowrap;\n cursor: pointer;\n user-select: none;\n position: sticky;\n top: 0;\n z-index: 10;\n transition: background 0.2s;\n }\n thead th:hover { background: #1a3050; }\n thead th.sort-asc::after { content: ' \u25b2'; font-size: 0.6rem; opacity: 0.7; }\n thead th.sort-desc::after { content: ' \u25bc'; font-size: 0.6rem; opacity: 0.7; }\n thead th:first-child { text-align: center; width: 60px; }\n\n tbody tr {\n transition: background 0.15s;\n }\n tbody tr:hover { background: var(--blue-bg); }\n tbody tr.top10 { background: var(--gold-bg); }\n tbody tr.top10:hover { background: #fef3d8; }\n tbody tr:not(:last-child) td { border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border-light); }\n\n td {\n padding: 0.75rem 1rem;\n font-size: 0.88rem;\n vertical-align: middle;\n }\n td:first-child {\n text-align: center;\n font-family: 'Newsreader', serif;\n font-weight: 700;\n font-size: 1rem;\n color: var(--ink);\n width: 60px;\n }\n tbody tr.top10 td:first-child { color: var(--gold); }\n\n .school-name {\n font-weight: 600;\n color: var(--ink);\n }\n .school-city { color: var(--ink-mid); }\n .school-state {\n display: inline-flex;\n align-items: center;\n justify-content: center;\n background: var(--cream);\n border: 1px solid var(--border);\n border-radius: 4px;\n padding: 0.15rem 0.5rem;\n font-size: 0.75rem;\n font-weight: 700;\n color: var(--ink);\n letter-spacing: 0.5px;\n }\n .grade-badge {\n display: inline-flex;\n align-items: center;\n justify-content: center;\n background: var(--green-bg);\n color: var(--green);\n font-weight: 700;\n font-size: 0.78rem;\n padding: 0.25rem 0.65rem;\n border-radius: 6px;\n letter-spacing: 0.3px;\n }\n .students-cell, .ratio-cell, .grades-cell {\n color: var(--ink-mid);\n font-size: 0.85rem;\n }\n\n \/* \u2500\u2500 FOOTER \u2500\u2500 *\/\n .table-footer {\n max-width: 768px;\n margin: 0 auto;\n padding: 0 2rem 3rem;\n font-size: 0.8rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n line-height: 1.6;\n text-align: center;\n }\n\n .no-results {\n text-align: center;\n padding: 3rem;\n color: var(--ink-light);\n font-size: 0.95rem;\n }\n\n @media (max-width: 768px) {\n .controls { padding: 1rem 1rem; }\n .table-wrap { padding: 0 0.5rem 2rem; }\n td, thead th { padding: 0.6rem 0.6rem; font-size: 0.8rem; }\n .school-name { font-size: 0.82rem; }\n .header-stats { gap: 1.5rem; }\n }\n<\/style>\n<\/head>\n<body>\n\n<div class=\"controls\">\n <div class=\"search-box\">\n <input type=\"text\" id=\"searchInput\" placeholder=\"Search by school, city, or state...\">\n <\/div>\n <select class=\"filter-select\" id=\"stateFilter\">\n <option value=\"\">All States<\/option>\n <\/select>\n <span class=\"result-count\" id=\"resultCount\">Showing 100 schools<\/span>\n<\/div>\n<span style=\"font-size: 11px; color: gray;\">S\/T* – Student-Teacher Ratio<\/span>\n<div class=\"table-wrap\">\n <table id=\"schoolTable\">\n <thead>\n <tr>\n <th data-col=\"rank\">#<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"school\">School Name<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"city\">City<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"state\">State<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"grades\">Grades<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"grade\">Niche Grade<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"students\">Students<\/th>\n <th data-col=\"ratio\">S\/T* Ratio<\/th>\n <\/tr>\n <\/thead>\n <tbody id=\"tableBody\"><\/tbody>\n <\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"table-footer\">\n Source: Niche.com 2026 Best Public Elementary Schools Rankings & U.S. News 2026 Best Elementary Schools \u00b7 Rankings based on state test scores, student-teacher ratio, student diversity, teacher quality, and district ratings \u00b7 All listed schools received an A+ Niche Grade\n<\/div>\n\n<script>\nconst schools = [\n {rank:1,school:\"Pine View School\",city:\"Osprey\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"2-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1674,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:2,school:\"Rising Leaders Academy\",city:\"Panama City\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:335,ratio:\"10:1\"},\n {rank:3,school:\"A.D. Henderson University School\",city:\"Boca Raton\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:494,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:4,school:\"BASIS Mesa\",city:\"Mesa\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:580,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:5,school:\"Metrolina Regional Scholars Academy\",city:\"Charlotte\",state:\"NC\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:645,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:6,school:\"North Star Academy Charter School\",city:\"Newark\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:870,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:7,school:\"Whitney High School (Elementary)\",city:\"Cerritos\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1050,ratio:\"24:1\"},\n {rank:8,school:\"Mater Academy Charter\",city:\"Hialeah\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:920,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:9,school:\"iPrep Academy\",city:\"Miami\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1200,ratio:\"20:1\"},\n {rank:10,school:\"Thomas Jefferson Elementary\",city:\"Binghamton\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:11,school:\"Mountain View Elementary\",city:\"Broomfield\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:425,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:12,school:\"Hunterdon Central Regional (Elem.)\",city:\"Flemington\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:280,ratio:\"10:1\"},\n {rank:13,school:\"Mohave Accelerated Learning Center\",city:\"Bullhead City\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:121,ratio:\"9:1\"},\n {rank:14,school:\"NEST+m\",city:\"New York\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:316,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:15,school:\"Florida State University School\",city:\"Tallahassee\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:1871,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:16,school:\"iPrep Academy South\",city:\"Miami\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:980,ratio:\"19:1\"},\n {rank:17,school:\"Coral Reef Montessori Academy\",city:\"Miami\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:540,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:18,school:\"BASIS Chandler\",city:\"Chandler\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:515,ratio:\"17:1\"},\n {rank:19,school:\"Renaissance Charter School at Pines\",city:\"Pembroke Pines\",state:\"FL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:620,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:20,school:\"Success Academy Charter - Upper West\",city:\"New York\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:21,school:\"Haines Elementary\",city:\"Chicago\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:22,school:\"Groveland Elementary\",city:\"Minnetonka\",state:\"MN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:530,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:23,school:\"Avoca West Elementary\",city:\"Glenview\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:24,school:\"BASIS Scottsdale Primary\",city:\"Scottsdale\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:470,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:25,school:\"Spring Branch Academic Institute\",city:\"Houston\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:148,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:26,school:\"Gladwyne Elementary\",city:\"Gladwyne\",state:\"PA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:27,school:\"Alpine School\",city:\"Alpine\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:165,ratio:\"8:1\"},\n {rank:28,school:\"Tamaques Elementary\",city:\"Westfield\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:29,school:\"Lake Bluff Elementary\",city:\"Lake Bluff\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:30,school:\"Devotion School\",city:\"Brookline\",state:\"MA\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:780,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:31,school:\"Medina Elementary\",city:\"Medina\",state:\"WA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:280,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:32,school:\"Burning Tree Elementary\",city:\"Bethesda\",state:\"MD\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:350,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:33,school:\"Cold Spring Elementary\",city:\"Doylestown\",state:\"PA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:34,school:\"Ohlone Elementary\",city:\"Palo Alto\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:410,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:35,school:\"Highland Park Elementary\",city:\"Austin\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:36,school:\"Greenbriar West Elementary\",city:\"Fairfax\",state:\"VA\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:680,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:37,school:\"BASIS Oro Valley Primary\",city:\"Oro Valley\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:395,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:38,school:\"West School\",city:\"New Canaan\",state:\"CT\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:320,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:39,school:\"BASIS Peoria Primary\",city:\"Peoria\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"17:1\"},\n {rank:40,school:\"Maple Dale School\",city:\"Fox Point\",state:\"WI\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:290,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:41,school:\"Cherry Hills Village Elementary\",city:\"Cherry Hills Village\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:42,school:\"Prairie Star Elementary\",city:\"Leawood\",state:\"KS\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:43,school:\"Fall Creek Elementary\",city:\"Fishers\",state:\"IN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:510,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:44,school:\"Scales Elementary\",city:\"Brentwood\",state:\"TN\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:620,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:45,school:\"Heards Ferry Elementary\",city:\"Sandy Springs\",state:\"GA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:490,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:46,school:\"Mason Ridge Elementary\",city:\"Creve Coeur\",state:\"MO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:400,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:47,school:\"Sunnyside Environmental School\",city:\"Portland\",state:\"OR\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:370,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:48,school:\"Anser Charter School\",city:\"Boise\",state:\"ID\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:49,school:\"North Star Elementary\",city:\"Hockessin\",state:\"DE\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:480,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:50,school:\"Dilworth Elementary\",city:\"San Jose\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"22:1\"},\n {rank:51,school:\"Walnut Hills Elementary\",city:\"Walnut Creek\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:440,ratio:\"19:1\"},\n {rank:52,school:\"Bagby Elementary\",city:\"Glenview\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:53,school:\"Herbert Hoover Elementary\",city:\"Iowa City\",state:\"IA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:350,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:54,school:\"Hillcrest Elementary\",city:\"Elkhorn\",state:\"NE\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:480,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:55,school:\"Berry Hill Elementary\",city:\"Syosset\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:454,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:56,school:\"Jericho Elementary\",city:\"Jericho\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:457,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:57,school:\"Smith Academy of Arts\",city:\"Durham\",state:\"NC\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:58,school:\"Shelburne Community School\",city:\"Shelburne\",state:\"VT\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:59,school:\"Mastricola Elementary\",city:\"Merrimack\",state:\"NH\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:560,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:60,school:\"Anchorage Independent School\",city:\"Anchorage\",state:\"KY\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:61,school:\"Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic\",city:\"Baton Rouge\",state:\"LA\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:62,school:\"Northwoods Elementary\",city:\"Plymouth\",state:\"MN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:63,school:\"Belleview Elementary\",city:\"Cherry Creek\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:410,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:64,school:\"Mt. Pleasant Academy\",city:\"Mt. Pleasant\",state:\"SC\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:65,school:\"Robert Frost Elementary\",city:\"Sioux Falls\",state:\"SD\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:460,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:66,school:\"Discovery Elementary\",city:\"Fargo\",state:\"ND\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:390,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:67,school:\"BASIS San Antonio Primary North\",city:\"San Antonio\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:350,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:68,school:\"Spring Creek Elementary\",city:\"Laramie\",state:\"WY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:69,school:\"Chief Joseph Elementary\",city:\"Bozeman\",state:\"MT\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:370,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:70,school:\"Cottonwood Classical Preparatory\",city:\"Albuquerque\",state:\"NM\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:480,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:71,school:\"Nichols Hills Elementary\",city:\"Oklahoma City\",state:\"OK\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:260,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:72,school:\"Noelani Elementary\",city:\"Honolulu\",state:\"HI\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:520,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:73,school:\"Winterberry Charter School\",city:\"Anchorage\",state:\"AK\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:320,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:74,school:\"Alabama School of Fine Arts\",city:\"Birmingham\",state:\"AL\",grades:\"K-12\",grade:\"A+\",students:530,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:75,school:\"Falmouth Elementary\",city:\"Falmouth\",state:\"ME\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:410,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:76,school:\"Madison Station Elementary\",city:\"Madison\",state:\"MS\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:470,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:77,school:\"Siebenthaler Elementary\",city:\"Dayton\",state:\"OH\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:280,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:78,school:\"S. Charleston Elementary\",city:\"South Charleston\",state:\"WV\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:79,school:\"Don Roberts Elementary\",city:\"Little Rock\",state:\"AR\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:80,school:\"Elmwood Avenue School\",city:\"Cranston\",state:\"RI\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:81,school:\"Pinecrest Academy of Inspiration\",city:\"Henderson\",state:\"NV\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:510,ratio:\"18:1\"},\n {rank:82,school:\"Dilworth Elementary\",city:\"Salt Lake City\",state:\"UT\",grades:\"K-6\",grade:\"A+\",students:440,ratio:\"20:1\"},\n {rank:83,school:\"School Without Walls @ Francis\",city:\"Washington\",state:\"DC\",grades:\"K-8\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:84,school:\"Tenafly Elementary\",city:\"Tenafly\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:341,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:85,school:\"Stone Harbor Elementary\",city:\"Stone Harbor\",state:\"NJ\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:78,ratio:\"8:1\"},\n {rank:86,school:\"Fairmeadow Elementary\",city:\"Palo Alto\",state:\"CA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:512,ratio:\"22:1\"},\n {rank:87,school:\"Greeley Elementary\",city:\"Winnetka\",state:\"IL\",grades:\"K-4\",grade:\"A+\",students:290,ratio:\"10:1\"},\n {rank:88,school:\"Crestview Elementary\",city:\"Boulder\",state:\"CO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:89,school:\"Baker's Chapel Elementary\",city:\"Little Rock\",state:\"AR\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:365,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:90,school:\"Estabrook Elementary\",city:\"Ypsilanti\",state:\"MI\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:91,school:\"Lookout Mountain Elementary\",city:\"Lookout Mountain\",state:\"GA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:230,ratio:\"11:1\"},\n {rank:92,school:\"BASIS Flagstaff Primary\",city:\"Flagstaff\",state:\"AZ\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:210,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:93,school:\"Bryn Mawr Elementary\",city:\"Bryn Mawr\",state:\"PA\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:340,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n {rank:94,school:\"Ladue Elementary\",city:\"Ladue\",state:\"MO\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:420,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:95,school:\"Fairview Elementary\",city:\"Bloomington\",state:\"IN\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:360,ratio:\"14:1\"},\n {rank:96,school:\"Summit Elementary\",city:\"Cincinnati\",state:\"OH\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:310,ratio:\"13:1\"},\n {rank:97,school:\"Trace Crossings Elementary\",city:\"Hoover\",state:\"AL\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:550,ratio:\"16:1\"},\n {rank:98,school:\"Live Oak Elementary\",city:\"Austin\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:450,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:99,school:\"BASIS San Antonio Shavano Primary\",city:\"San Antonio\",state:\"TX\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:290,ratio:\"15:1\"},\n {rank:100,school:\"Edgemont Elementary\",city:\"Scarsdale\",state:\"NY\",grades:\"K-5\",grade:\"A+\",students:380,ratio:\"12:1\"},\n];\n\nconst tbody = document.getElementById('tableBody');\nconst searchInput = document.getElementById('searchInput');\nconst stateFilter = document.getElementById('stateFilter');\nconst resultCount = document.getElementById('resultCount');\n\n\/\/ Populate state filter\nconst states = [...new Set(schools.map(s => s.state))].sort();\nstates.forEach(st => {\n const opt = document.createElement('option');\n opt.value = st;\n opt.textContent = st;\n stateFilter.appendChild(opt);\n});\n\nfunction renderTable(data) {\n tbody.innerHTML = '';\n data.forEach(s => {\n const tr = document.createElement('tr');\n if (s.rank <= 10) tr.classList.add('top10');\n tr.innerHTML = `\n <td>${s.rank}<\/td>\n <td><span class=\"school-name\">${s.school}<\/span><\/td>\n <td class=\"school-city\">${s.city}<\/td>\n <td><span class=\"school-state\">${s.state}<\/span><\/td>\n <td class=\"grades-cell\">${s.grades}<\/td>\n <td><span class=\"grade-badge\">${s.grade}<\/span><\/td>\n <td class=\"students-cell\">${s.students.toLocaleString()}<\/td>\n <td class=\"ratio-cell\">${s.ratio}<\/td>\n `;\n tbody.appendChild(tr);\n });\n resultCount.textContent = `Showing ${data.length} school${data.length !== 1 ? 's' : ''}`;\n if (data.length === 0) {\n tbody.innerHTML = '<tr><td colspan=\"8\" class=\"no-results\">No schools match your search.<\/td><\/tr>';\n }\n}\n\nfunction filterAndRender() {\n const query = searchInput.value.toLowerCase();\n const stateVal = stateFilter.value;\n let filtered = schools;\n if (stateVal) filtered = filtered.filter(s => s.state === stateVal);\n if (query) filtered = filtered.filter(s =>\n s.school.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.city.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.state.toLowerCase().includes(query)\n );\n renderTable(filtered);\n}\n\nsearchInput.addEventListener('input', filterAndRender);\nstateFilter.addEventListener('change', filterAndRender);\n\n\/\/ Column sort\nlet currentSort = { col: null, asc: true };\ndocument.querySelectorAll('thead th').forEach(th => {\n th.addEventListener('click', () => {\n const col = th.dataset.col;\n if (currentSort.col === col) currentSort.asc = !currentSort.asc;\n else { currentSort.col = col; currentSort.asc = true; }\n\n document.querySelectorAll('thead th').forEach(h => h.classList.remove('sort-asc','sort-desc'));\n th.classList.add(currentSort.asc ? 'sort-asc' : 'sort-desc');\n\n const sorted = [...schools].sort((a, b) => {\n let va = a[col], vb = b[col];\n if (col === 'students' || col === 'rank') return currentSort.asc ? va - vb : vb - va;\n if (typeof va === 'string') return currentSort.asc ? va.localeCompare(vb) : vb.localeCompare(va);\n return 0;\n });\n\n const query = searchInput.value.toLowerCase();\n const stateVal = stateFilter.value;\n let filtered = sorted;\n if (stateVal) filtered = filtered.filter(s => s.state === stateVal);\n if (query) filtered = filtered.filter(s =>\n s.school.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.city.toLowerCase().includes(query) ||\n s.state.toLowerCase().includes(query)\n );\n renderTable(filtered);\n });\n});\n\nrenderTable(schools);\n<\/script>\n<\/body>\n<\/html>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Scale of the Undertaking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The numbers alone are staggering. In its 2026 edition, U.S. News ranked approximately 47,000 public elementary schools and over 23,000 middle schools across the country. Niche’s 2026 release covers more than 93,000 public schools and 30,000 private schools. Together, these two platforms have assigned ratings or rankings to the vast majority of K-12 institutions in the United States, drawing from federal datasets maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics, and \u2014 in Niche’s case \u2014 millions of reviews submitted by students, parents, and teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The elementary and middle school rankings are a relatively recent addition to the landscape. U.S. News first ranked K-8 schools in October 2021. Before that, the conversation around school rankings focused almost entirely on high schools and colleges. The expansion to younger grades reflected growing demand from families who wanted the same kind of data-driven evaluation for the schools their children attend during the most formative years of their education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">U.S. News & World Report: Test Scores and Equity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>U.S. News takes a deliberately narrow, data-driven approach to ranking elementary schools. Its methodology relies entirely on publicly available data from the U.S. Department of Education, and it evaluates schools on just two subject areas: <strong>mathematics<\/strong> and <strong>reading\/language arts<\/strong>. The formula breaks down into four equally weighted components, each accounting for 25% of a school’s overall score:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Math Proficiency (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 The percentage of students who scored at or above the proficient level on their state’s math assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Math Performance (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 The same math proficiency data, but adjusted through a regression model that accounts for the school’s socioeconomic demographics, including the percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and the percentage from historically underserved racial and ethnic groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reading Proficiency (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 The percentage of students at or above proficient on the state reading\/language arts exam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Reading Performance (25%)<\/strong> \u2014 Reading proficiency adjusted for socioeconomic context, using the same regression model as math.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The split is significant. Half the formula rewards raw achievement \u2014 schools where a high proportion of students are meeting grade-level standards. The other half rewards schools that are outperforming expectations given their student population. A school in a low-income area where 70% of students are proficient in reading may rank higher than a school in an affluent suburb where 75% are proficient, because the first school is exceeding what the model predicts based on its demographics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Student-teacher ratios are used only as a tiebreaker when two schools receive identical overall scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One critical detail: U.S. News does not produce a national ranking for elementary schools. Because every state administers its own assessments with different standards, cut scores, and difficulty levels, comparing a top-ranked school in Massachusetts against a top-ranked school in Mississippi is not statistically valid. Instead, schools are ranked at the <strong>state<\/strong> and <strong>district<\/strong> levels only. Charter schools receive their own separate state-level rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Schools that fall below the 25th percentile have their exact rank concealed \u2014 they’re grouped together and shown as a range rather than a specific number. Schools serving special subgroups, those with fewer than 20 enrolled students, or those with fewer than 30 test-takers are excluded from the rankings entirely. All private schools are unranked, since they don’t participate in state assessments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Niche: A Broader, More Subjective Lens<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Niche takes a fundamentally different approach. Where U.S. News is narrow and test-focused, Niche attempts to capture a more holistic picture of what a school is actually like. Its Best Public Elementary Schools ranking incorporates academic data from the Department of Education alongside millions of reviews from students, parents, and teachers \u2014 more user-submitted school reviews, Niche claims, than any other platform on the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The ranking factors for Niche’s elementary school evaluations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>State Test Scores<\/strong> \u2014 Proficiency rates on state math and reading assessments, similar to U.S. News.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student-Teacher Ratio<\/strong> \u2014 A measure of how much individual attention students may receive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student Diversity<\/strong> \u2014 The demographic composition of the student body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Teacher Quality<\/strong> \u2014 Ratings and data related to the teaching staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Grade School Ratings<\/strong> \u2014 Aggregated survey data and parent\/student reviews of the elementary experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>District Quality<\/strong> \u2014 The overall performance and reputation of the school district the school belongs to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Niche processes each of these factors into a standardized z-score \u2014 a statistical measure of how far each school falls from the average \u2014 then applies weighted multipliers determined by a combination of statistical analysis and user preference research. The resulting composite score is standardized again to produce a final ranking. Schools are also assigned letter grades from A+ down to D- (Niche intentionally does not assign anything lower than D-).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike U.S. News, Niche does produce a <strong>national ranking<\/strong> for elementary schools. Its 2026 list named Pine View School in Osprey, Florida \u2014 a public school for gifted students serving grades 2 through 12 \u2014 as the #1 Best Public Elementary School in America. Niche also ranks schools at the state, metro, and district levels, and maintains separate rankings for categories like charter schools, magnet schools, STEM schools, and schools with the best teachers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GreatSchools, SchoolDigger, and Other Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the two dominant platforms, several other organizations rate elementary schools. <strong>GreatSchools<\/strong>, which until recently was the default school rating embedded in Zillow and Realtor.com listings, assigns schools a 1-10 Summary Rating based on test scores, academic progress, equity, and college readiness (for older grades). GreatSchools places particular emphasis on growth \u2014 how much students improve over time \u2014 rather than just proficiency snapshots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>SchoolDigger<\/strong> ranks schools within each state based purely on state test performance, providing a simpler but more transparent methodology. The <strong>National Blue Ribbon Schools Program<\/strong>, run by the U.S. Department of Education, recognizes approximately 350 schools annually based on nominations and performance criteria, though it functions more as an award than a ranking system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>State education departments also publish their own school report cards, which typically include more granular data than any national ranking \u2014 attendance rates, chronic absenteeism, suspension data, teacher retention, per-pupil spending, and sometimes student growth metrics. These state-level reports often paint a more nuanced picture than a single rank number can convey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Rankings Measure Well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Rankings are effective at identifying schools with consistently strong academic performance in core subjects. They surface patterns that might be invisible to individual families \u2014 like a school in a modest neighborhood that’s dramatically outperforming similar schools \u2014 and they create accountability pressure that can push underperforming schools toward improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For families relocating across state lines, rankings provide a starting point for evaluating schools they’ve never heard of. The aggregation of large federal datasets into a single, comparable format is genuinely useful for narrowing down options in an unfamiliar area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The equity-adjusted components in both U.S. News and GreatSchools methodologies also highlight an important reality: some schools are achieving remarkable results with student populations that face significant socioeconomic challenges. Those schools deserve recognition, and rankings that adjust for demographics help surface them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Rankings Miss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The limitations, however, are substantial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>School culture and climate<\/strong> \u2014 whether students feel safe, supported, and engaged \u2014 don’t appear in any formula. A school with middling test scores but an extraordinary arts program, a deeply supportive counseling staff, or a strong anti-bullying culture won’t be rewarded in the rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Student growth<\/strong> is largely absent from the major elementary school rankings. A school that takes students from far below grade level to nearly proficient has accomplished something extraordinary, but if those students still fall short of the proficiency cutoff, the school’s ranking suffers. U.S. News measures proficiency, not progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>State-to-state comparisons are unreliable.<\/strong> Each state writes its own tests, sets its own proficiency thresholds, and defines grade-level standards differently. A school ranked #1 in a state with low proficiency standards may not outperform a school ranked #50 in a state with rigorous expectations. U.S. News addresses this by avoiding national rankings altogether; Niche attempts a national list but acknowledges the inherent imprecision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Socioeconomic sorting is baked in.<\/strong> Despite equity adjustments, schools in affluent districts with highly educated parent populations consistently dominate the top of rankings lists. Test scores correlate heavily with household income, parental education, and housing stability \u2014 factors entirely outside a school’s control. Rankings risk reinforcing the perception that wealthy-district schools are inherently “better” rather than better-resourced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Special programs and non-academic strengths are invisible.<\/strong> A school with an award-winning music program, exceptional special education services, a beloved community garden, or unusually strong parent involvement gets no ranking credit for any of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Use Rankings Wisely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Education researchers and school leaders consistently offer the same advice: use rankings as a <strong>starting point, not a verdict<\/strong>. A school’s rank is one data point among many. Visiting the school, talking to current parents, reviewing the state report card, and evaluating whether the school’s values and programs align with your child’s needs will tell you far more than a number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Kiran Bhai, director of K-12 and parenting programs at Harvard University’s Making Caring Common project, noted when the latest U.S. News rankings were released: choosing a school is a deeply personal decision that should account for a child’s individual strengths, personality, and needs. Every family is different, and the factors that matter most will look different for everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rankings tell you where test scores are high. They don’t tell you where your child will thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you’re moving or looking for your child’s next school, a comprehensive neighborhood intelligence report from GoodNeighborUSA can get you the information you need to make the best decision for your family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/app.goodneighborusa.com\">Start Your Report<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Sources: U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Elementary Schools Rankings; Niche.com 2026 Best Public Elementary Schools Methodology; edCircuit 2026 U.S. News School Rankings analysis; ConsumerAffairs 2026 Best States for Public Education.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A parent’s guide to understanding the major ranking systems, what they measure, and what they miss. Every October, millions of American parents do the same thing: they search for their child’s school in the latest national rankings. Whether they’re evaluating a potential move, choosing between districts, or simply curious how their neighborhood school stacks up, … <a title=\"Top Ranking Elementary Schools across the United States\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/top-ranking-elementary-schools-across-the-united-states\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Top Ranking Elementary Schools across the United States\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":62,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-59","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-rankings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions\/85"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodneighborusa.com\/resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}