California placed 30th in a ranking of states’ public school systems in a study published July 21 by the financial research company WalletHub, landing it in a category of states with high education spending and poor outcomes.

Although the Golden State ranked 17th in school funding, the state’s school systems ranked lower when quality and safety were considered.

The study, which included the 50 states and the District of Columbia, took a comprehensive approach to measuring schools, looking at not only academic performance but also safety, class size, and instructor credentials.

Massachusetts schools ranked first in the nation, followed by Connecticut, New Jersey, Virginia, and New Hampshire. All were grouped in the High Spending and Strong School System category.

“Massachusetts is the state with the best school systems, boasting some of the best test scores in the country,” WalletHub reported.

The state ranked first in the nation in all core academic subjects this year, according to its fourth- and eighth-grade math and reading scores. It also had the highest share of high school students in the country who received a score of three or better on an advanced placement exam.

The study also noted that Massachusetts schools were “generally safe.”

The state has the fifth-lowest share of students who reported being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, the third-lowest share of students who had been in a fight at school and the fourth-lowest share who reported illegal drugs on school property, the study found.

The study also had a Low Spending and Strong School System category, which included Florida, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.

California fell into the High Spending and Weak category, along with Colorado and Minnesota. Among the Low Spending and Weak were Oklahoma, Nevada, and Arizona.

“Getting enough funding is essential for a productive school system, but simply having more money doesn’t guarantee success,” said Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst. “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.”

Lupo said that in addition to test scores, schools needed to focus on making sure that students feel safe, comfortable, and cared for.

New Mexico came in last, taking 51st place on the list. The Land of Enchantment was last in math and reading test scores, and had the lowest median SAT score. Despite ranking 27th for school funding, the state also had the highest dropout rate, tying with Idaho, Alaska, Arizona, and D.C.

Education expert Tom Chiaromonte, an early childhood professor at Fullerton College in Southern California, considers education the best investment in the country.

Students pass lockers at a school in Southern California on Jan. 8, 2024. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

“I had the opportunity to talk to a colleague who teaches high school in San Diego and asked if extra per pupil dollars would benefit his classroom and his teaching. His reply was an enthusiastic yes!” he said on the WalletHub site.

U.S. News and World Report found in a 2022 study that disparities among schools in per-pupil spending can be profound. The United States, on average, spent over $12,000 per student in 2019,  the report found. That ranged from $25,359 per student in New York to $7,811 in Utah. The study did not measure the effect of spending on school quality.

Bryan Beverly, director of K-12 outreach at Michigan State University, is skeptical of school spending’s importance.

“The research on the effects of spending is hotly contested and however one feels about spending, the link between increased spending and student outcomes is not as strong as we would like,” Beverly told WalletHub.