And Idaho ranks 49th in school spending.
Which goes to show: there is zero correlation between spending and outcomes.
Idaho students rank fifth in the nation for college readiness based on the percentage of students who met SAT and ACT assessment benchmarks in 2017, according to U.S. News & World Report.
In Idaho, 55.2 percent of students met SAT and ACT benchmarks – making it the highest-ranking state in the Western U.S. for college readiness, according to the report. Washington students rank 29th in college readiness, according to the report. Nationwide, Connecticut students ranked highest with 62 percent.
The ACT measures skills in English, math, reading and science, while the SAT evaluates students in math and evidence-based reading and writing. Both tests attempt to measure college readiness and predict academic success in college. They also include benchmarks, which represent scores students would need to achieve in order to have a 75 percent chance of earning a C in a related college course.
Students in Idaho performed much better on the writing portion of the SAT than the math section, the report found. About 63 percent of students were prepared for writing-related courses, while 36 percent of students met the benchmark for math courses.