2020’s Safest States for Schools to Reopen

As the fall school semester gets into full swing, students across the U.S. are having vastly different educational experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some students are having all schooling in person, others are doing all their learning online, and others are experiencing a hybrid of the two. An extended lack of in-person schooling can lead to issues such as decreases in academic progress (especially in low-income districts), damage to mental health and social development, and less physical activity among students, according to the CDC. However, a state should not resume full-time in-person schooling until the current public health crisis from COVID-19 is sufficiently minimized in that state.

Safest States for Schools to Reopen

Overall Rank (1=Best)	State	Total Score	‘Risk of COVID-19 Infections’ Rank	‘Health & Financial Infrastructure’ Rank
1	Vermont	80.48	1	1
2	Maine	74.65	2	4
3	Pennsylvania	69.66	6	6
4	Massachusetts	69.27	5	21
5	New Hampshire	68.65	4	26
6	Rhode Island	66.85	14	3
7	Ohio	66.54	7	16
8	New Jersey	65.69	8	20
9	Connecticut	65.47	19	2
10	Nebraska	64.71	15	7
11	Wyoming	63.86	3	45
12	Wisconsin	63.28	9	24
13	Delaware	62.60	11	25
14	Virginia	62.22	17	17
15	Montana	61.18	22	13
16	New Mexico	60.99	25	14
17	Kansas	60.89	13	34
18	Washington	60.29	20	23
19	Maryland	60.16	26	12
20	Hawaii	59.92	18	30
21	Iowa	59.77	29	9
22	New York	59.65	30	15
23	Alaska	59.13	38	5
24	North Dakota	59.03	28	18
25	Minnesota	58.88	33	8
26	West Virginia	58.76	16	35
27	North Carolina	58.74	24	29
28	Colorado	57.96	21	36
29	Oregon	57.85	10	44
30	Kentucky	56.88	23	38
31	South Dakota	55.56	27	40
32	Michigan	55.27	12	47
33	Idaho	55.11	32	37
34	Indiana	53.09	31	43
35	Texas	52.65	42	22
36	Alabama	52.37	46	10
37	Illinois	51.81	40	31
38	Oklahoma	51.52	44	27
39	California	51.09	39	41
40	Georgia	50.95	43	28
41	Florida	50.71	37	42
42	Louisiana	50.61	47	19
43	Utah	49.90	41	39
44	Missouri	49.88	35	46
45	Tennessee	46.85	50	11
46	Nevada	46.14	48	33
47	Arizona	45.71	49	32
48	Arkansas	45.00	34	49
49	South Carolina	43.61	45	48
50	Mississippi	43.04	36	50