U.S. News & World Report Unveils 2027 Rankings of Top Elementary and Middle Schools

U.S. News & World Report Reveals 2027 Best Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings

On October 20, 2026, U.S. News & World Report, a global leader in educational rankings, released its annual list of the Best Elementary and Middle Schools for 2027. This new report assesses nearly 46,000 public elementary schools and over 24,000 middle schools, providing an exhaustive state and district-level evaluation, including specific rankings for charter schools as a distinct category.

What’s New for 2027

The 2027 rankings leverage publicly available data gathered directly from state education agencies by RTI International, in conjunction with U.S. Department of Education information. This enhanced approach offers a more thorough analysis of student performance in reading and mathematics, while still taking into account students' backgrounds and their absolute performance on state assessments.

Eric Brooks, the director of educational data analysis at U.S. News, emphasized, "By integrating direct state data across all proficiency levels, the 2027 rankings provide a richer, more thorough view of how elementary and middle schools foster student growth. This refined approach gives families, educators, and community leaders greater clarity regarding academic performance and aids in identifying schools that are setting the standard and promoting ongoing student success."

Evaluation Methodology

The scoring methodology assesses student performance in mathematics and reading/language arts alongside the demographic context of the student body to measure both overall achievement and school effectiveness. The student-to-teacher ratio is used for tie-breaking in overall scores. To obtain a district-level ranking, the district must have at least three ranked elementary or middle schools, and at least two must be in the top 25% of the overall state ranking.

In addition to the rankings, parents and caregivers of school-aged children can access thematic guides on K-12 education. These resources explore critical topics such as mandatory kindergarten requirements and provide strategies for easing middle school students' transitions to high school.

For more insights, visit the Best Elementary and Middle Schools webpage and check out #BestK8Schools on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.

About U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in journalism that empowers consumers, citizens, business leaders, and policymakers to make informed decisions across all facets of their lives and communities. As a multi-faceted media company, U.S. News provides impartial rankings, reporting, and analysis, along with consumer advice to millions of visitors on USNews.com monthly. With over 90 years as a trusted source in Washington, U.S. News delivers comprehensive and exclusive insights into education, health, politics, economics, insurance, personal finance, travel, automobiles, real estate, careers, and consumer products and services.