The best public elementary, K-12 schools in America for 2026: report

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(NEXSTAR) – Three Florida schools took the top spots in a new ranking of the best public elementary and K-12 schools in America for 2026.

Niche.com, an education research platform, compiles the rankings annually based on data from the Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics and more, as well as reviews from students.

Pine View School in Osprey, Florida, was the highest-ranked elementary school thanks to top marks for academics, teachers and college preparation. Pine View, established in 1969 and also known as Pine View School for the Gifted, runs from 2nd through 12th grade.

“Our K-12 rankings bring together rigorous data and real experiences from students, parents and educators,” Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, said in a statement. “This gives families the clarity to choose schools where their children can succeed academically, thrive socially, and build a strong foundation for their future.”

The rest of the top 25 elementary and K-12 schools, according to Niche, are:

As for the best standalone, public high schools in America, Niche ranked the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics first overall, with The Davidson Academy (Nevada), MA Academy for Math & Science (Massachusetts), South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (South Carolina) and Stuyvesant High School (New York) rounding out the top five, respectively.

Sinking enrollment in some schools

From 2019 to 2023, enrollment declined by 20% or more at nearly 1 in 12 public schools — roughly 5,100, according to a report published last year by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative-leaning education think tank. Many were chronically low-performing schools in high poverty neighborhoods, the report found.

Public school enrollment is projected to tumble 5.5% between 2022 and 2031, largely due to changing demographics, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Other factors include the shift by some students to private education or homeschooling and some immigrant families’ decisions to leave the country.

Federal funds allowed many schools to stay open during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite tumbling enrollment numbers. But now the relief money is gone, and those under-populated schools are a problem, said Aaron Garth Smith, director of education reform at Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank.

“The takeaway is pretty clear,” Smith said: Public school enrollment is declining. “It’s going to continue to fall for years to come. And so generally, state and local policymakers have to adapt to this new reality.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.