12th Place – Illinois
Although Illinois did not make the top 10 in WalletHub’s rankings, the state has much to be proud of with regards to its educational system. Substantial investments have been made in early childhood education, with an emphasis on attendance.
Approximately 55.8% of 3- to 4-year-olds in Illinois participate in pre-K classes, which is higher than the national average of 47.7%. It is thought that this discrepancy can be attributed to a variety of factors, including generous funding and the fact that many families in the state have higher levels of educational attainment.