For the third straight year, Maryland's public education system is ranked the nation's best overall when it comes to student performance and state policies.
Maryland received a B-plus grade on the annual report card issued by the news outlet Education Week. That was the best grade in the country. The rankings are based on student achievement, school finance and a number of education policies.
Meanwhile, Virginia's schools came in fourth with a B-minus, while the District ranked near the bottom of the list with a D-plus.
Experts say it's difficult to accurately compare the District with other state school systems because it's not a state.
Some also say the rankings of state school systems may vary depending on the criteria by which they are judged.
Most states received a grade of C-plus or lower.
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