Best, Worst School Systems: Where Does Minnesota Rank?

ST. PAUL, MN — Minnesota has the 23rd-best public school system in the country, according to a new report from Niche.com.

The study — published Monday — takes into account performance, funding, safety, class size, and instructor credentials.

"The quality of public school systems varies widely from state to state, though, and is often a question of funding. Public elementary and secondary education money usually flows from three sources: the federal, state and local governments," Niche states.

"According to the U.S. Department of Education, states contribute nearly as much as local governments, while the federal government supplies the smallest share. Some researchers have found that more resources — or taxes paid by residents — typically result in better school-system performance."

Minnesota's neighbors all have better school systems, the study finds, especially No. 4 Wisconsin.

1. Massachusetts
2. Connecticut
3. New Jersey
4. Wisconsin
5. Virginia
6. New Hampshire
7. Nebraska
8. Maryland
9. Florida
10. North Dakota

These are the bottom ten states for public education:

1. South Carolina
2. Mississippi
3. Nevada
4. Alabama
5. Louisiana
6. Alaska
7. West Virginia
8. Arizona
9. Oklahoma
10. New Mexico

Check out the entire study here.