JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — It’s been decades since the landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education declared school segregation unconstitutional in 1954, though it took years for schools to actually adopt that ruling. Now, no one can be denied enrollment in a school due to the color of their skin, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that educational conditions are equal for all students.
A recent study found that school districts that have a high concentration of white students receive $23 billion more per year in funding than those that have a high concentration of non-white students. Lower funding can lead to lower quality education, which can affect not only a person’s income trajectory but also their career trajectory for the rest of their life.
In order to determine which states have the most racial equality in education, WalletHub compared the 50 states across six key metrics to compile its Best States for Racial Equality in Education. Their data compares the difference between white and black Americans in areas such as high school and college degrees, test scores and graduation rates.
Wyoming ranked #1 in the findings with as score of 86.46. West Virginia, New Mexico, Idaho, and Montana rounded out the top 5.
Racial Equality in Education in Wyoming (1=Most Equality; 25=Avg.)
- 1st – Share of Adults with at Least a High School Degree
- 1st – Share of Adults with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree
- 5th – Average ACT Score
- 5th – Public High School Graduation Rate
