How does California's education system compare to other states in the US?

California's education system is one of the largest and most diverse in the United States, with over 6 million students enrolled in public K-12 schools alone. However, when compared to other states in the US, California's education system faces some unique challenges and has mixed results in terms of performance.

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), California's fourth and eighth graders rank near the bottom in reading and math scores when compared to students in other states. However, it is worth noting that California also has a higher percentage of English language learners and low-income students than many other states, which can impact overall test scores.

In terms of funding, California ranks in the middle among states in terms of per-pupil spending, although there are significant disparities in funding between school districts within the state. California also has a higher than average teacher-to-student ratio, which can lead to larger class sizes.

Despite these challenges, California has also been a leader in areas such as college and career readiness, with one of the highest rates of high school graduates going on to attend college. California is also home to some of the top-ranked universities in the world, such as the University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University.