The states where K-12 students care most about doing well in school, ranked

• A study from the US health department shows which states' children are most engaged in school.
• The study surveyed 70,282 children's homework habits and care for their school performance.
• New Jersey saw the highest student engagement, while Alaska saw the lowest.

As the back-to-school season approaches — or, in some states, has already begun — students, teachers, and parents are preparing for another year of hard work and focus on school.

But the extent to which children care about learning varies across US states, according to a 2023-2024 study by the National Survey of Children's Health, a data collection program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration's Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

The analysis included responses from 70,282 children across the US between the ages of 6 and 17 and asked parents and guardians two questions: how often does this child care about doing well in school, and how often does this child do all the required homework?

The answers were then reflected into three categories: "always," "usually," and "sometimes or never" engaged in school. Those categorized in "always" put that answer for both questions. Those in "usually" responded to both questions as "usually" or to one as "usually" and the other as "always." All remaining children were classified as "sometimes or never."

Those in the Northeast, including New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania, had the largest shares of children reported as always engaged in school. Children in New Hampshire and Vermont, however, were among the least engaged; Alaska ranked last.

Still, the findings offer a snapshot of how consistently caregivers say children are motivated and completing their schoolwork — not a direct measure of academic performance or school quality.

Engagement can be shaped by many overlapping factors, like family routines, disability or mental health needs, school workload, chronic absenteeism, and access to tutoring or after-school care. The interpretation of "always" and "usually" may also vary by respondent.

Here's how children ages 6 to 17 in every state and Washington, DC, fared.

51. Alaska

Always engaged in school: 34.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 45.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.3% of children

50. Idaho

Always engaged in school: 34.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 45.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.3% of children

49. New Hampshire

Always engaged in school: 34.9% of children

Usually engaged in school: 45.7% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.4% of children

48. Utah

Always engaged in school: 34.9% of children

Usually engaged in school: 41.3% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 23.8% of children

47. Montana

Always engaged in school: 35.4% of children

Usually engaged in school: 40.5% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 24.1% of children

46. Vermont

Always engaged in school: 36.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 40.3% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 23.1% of children

45. Oregon

Always engaged in school: 36.9% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.7% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 23.4% of children

44. Wyoming

Always engaged in school: 37.6% of children

Usually engaged in school: 41.6% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.8% of children

43. West Virginia

Always engaged in school: 37.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 41.1% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.1% of children

42. Colorado

Always engaged in school: 38.7% of children

Usually engaged in school: 42.1% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.2% of children

41. Indiana

Always engaged in school: 38.7% of children

Usually engaged in school: 40.4% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.8% of children

40. Washington

Always engaged in school: 39.1% of children

Usually engaged in school: 38.8% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 22.1% of children

39. Nevada

Always engaged in school: 39.3% of children

Usually engaged in school: 37.7% of childrents

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 22.9% of children

38. Oklahoma

Always engaged in school: 39.4% of children

Usually engaged in school: 40.5% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.2% of children

37. Missouri

Always engaged in school: 39.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.1% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.4% of children

36. New Mexico

Always engaged in school: 39.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.3% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.9% of children

35. Minnesota

Always engaged in school: 40.0% of children

Usually engaged in school: 38.8% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.2% of children

34. Wisconsin

Always engaged in school: 40.7% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.1% of children

33. Iowa

Always engaged in school: 41.1% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.7% of children

32. Maine

Always engaged in school: 41.1% of children

Usually engaged in school: 37.9% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.0% of children

31. South Dakota

Always engaged in school: 41.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 38.9% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.6% of children

30. Virginia

Always engaged in school: 41.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 38.0% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.5% of children

29. North Carolina

Always engaged in school: 42.4% of children

Usually engaged in school: 38.6% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.0% of children

28. North Dakota

Always engaged in school: 42.7% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.4% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.9% of children

27. Hawaii

Always engaged in school: 43.0% of children

Usually engaged in school: 42.0% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 15.0% of children

26. Kansas

Always engaged in school: 43.0% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.8% of children

25. Nebraska

Always engaged in school: 43.0% of children

Usually engaged in school: 40.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.8% of children

24. Maryland

Always engaged in school: 43.1% of children

Usually engaged in school: 36.1% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.8% of children

23. Michigan

Always engaged in school: 43.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 37.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.1% of children

22. South Carolina

Always engaged in school: 43.9% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.3% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.8% of children

21. Georgia

Always engaged in school: 44.4% of children

Usually engaged in school: 38.4% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.2% of children

20. Illinois

Always engaged in school: 44.4% of children

Usually engaged in school: 39.5% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.1% of children

19. Ohio

Always engaged in school: 44.7% of children

Usually engaged in school: 37.0% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.3% of children

18. Louisiana

Always engaged in school: 45.1% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.7% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 20.3% of children

17. Arkansas

Always engaged in school: 45.6% of children

Usually engaged in school: 33.1% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 21.3% of children

16. Kentucky

Always engaged in school: 45.6% of children

Usually engaged in school: 36.1% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.2% of children

15. New York

Always engaged in school: 45.6% of children

Usually engaged in school: 35.0% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.4% of children

14. Arizona

Always engaged in school: 45.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.7% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.4% of children

13. District of Columbia

Always engaged in school: 45.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 35.2% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 19.0% of children

12. Mississippi

Always engaged in school: 46.3% of children

Usually engaged in school: 35.5% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.2% of children

11. California

Always engaged in school: 46.4% of children

Usually engaged in school: 36.3% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.2% of children

10. Alabama

Always engaged in school: 46.5% of children

Usually engaged in school: 36.3% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.2% of children

9. Florida

Always engaged in school: 46.6% of children

Usually engaged in school: 36.0% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.4% of children

8. Rhode Island

Always engaged in school: 46.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 35.9% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.3% of children

7. Connecticut

Always engaged in school: 47.0% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.6% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.4% of children

6. Texas

Always engaged in school: 47.0% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.7% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.3% of children

5. Tennessee

Always engaged in school: 47.3% of children

Usually engaged in school: 35.7% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 17.0% of children

4. Delaware

Always engaged in school: 47.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 33.4% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 18.8% of children

3. Pennsylvania

Always engaged in school: 48.7% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.4% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.9% of children

2. Massachusetts

Always engaged in school: 48.8% of children

Usually engaged in school: 34.6% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 16.5% of children

1. New Jersey

Always engaged in school: 54.1% of children

Usually engaged in school: 31.4% of children

Sometimes or never engaged in school: 14.5% of children

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