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(Nexstar) – Three Florida schools won top spots in 2026 with a new ranking of the best public elementary schools and K-12 schools in America.
Niche.com, an educational research platform, compiles rankings annually based on data from the Ministry of Education, the National Center for Education and Statistics, and reviews from students.
Pineview School in Osprey, Florida was the highest-ranked primary school thanks to its top marks for academics, teachers and university preparation. Founded in 1969 and also known as the talented Pineview School, Pineview runs from second to 12th grade.
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“Our K-12 rankings bring together rigorous data and real experiences from students, parents and educators,” said Luke Skurman, founder and CEO of Niche, in a statement. “This makes it clear that families will choose schools where children can be academically successful, socially thriving, and lay a strong foundation for their future.”
According to Niche, the rest of the top 25 primary schools and k-12 schools are as follows:
As for the best standalone American public high schools, the niche ranks first across the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, including Davidson Academy (Nevada), Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics (Massachusetts), South Carolina Governor’s School of Science and Mathematics (South Carolina), and Stuy Bestint High School (New York).
Registration with some schools
From 2019 to 2023, registrations fell by more than 20% in nearly one of the 12 public schools, according to a report released last year by the conservative education think tank Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Many were chronically low schools in poor areas, the report found.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school registration is projected to fall by 5.5% between 2022 and 2031, primarily due to changes in demographics. Other factors include the transition by some students to private education and homeschooling, and the decision by immigrant families to leave the country.
The federal fund has left many schools open during the Covid-19 pandemic despite falling registration numbers. But now there are no relief funds, and those low-populated schools are a problem, says Aaron Garth Smith, director of education reform at the Reason Foundation, a libertarian think tank.
“Takeouts are pretty clear,” Smith said: public school enrolments are on the decline. “It will continue to fall for years to come, and in general, state and local policymakers must adapt to this new reality.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
