Vermont Schools & Education

Public school metrics and education data for all 14 counties.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Avg Graduation Rate

81.3%

Avg Per-Pupil Spending

$11,012

Avg School Score

55/100

Total Schools

303

106 districts

State Overview

About Schools in Vermont

This summary is generated from the NCES metrics shown on this page and reviewed against the source data by the Data Editor. It is not school advice.

Vermont Trails National Benchmarks in Graduation and Spending

Vermont’s average graduation rate of 81.3% sits nearly six percentage points below the national average of 87.0%. The state also spends less per student, averaging $11,012 per pupil compared to the $13,000 national benchmark.

Wide Disparities Define Vermont's Educational Landscape

Data from 13 counties reveals a significant performance gap, with school scores ranging from 64.9 in Chittenden to just 35.7 in Grand Isle. Graduation rates show similar volatility, swinging from a high of 89.2% in Lamoille County to a low of 69.0% in Essex County.

State Score Context

How Vermont Counties Are Distributed

14 of 14 counties have enough NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data to receive a county school score. Use this distribution to understand whether the state has a concentrated cluster of high, midrange, or lower measured signals.

Scored county coverage

Counties with complete enough data for the composite score

100%

Higher measured signal

Score range 70-100

Midrange measured signal

Score range 40-69

Lower measured signal

Score range 0-39

Scores are comparative signals from available federal data, not ratings of individual schools.

Best school counties

Best Counties for Public School Research in Vermont

For a first-pass answer to parent searches about where the best schools are in Vermont, start with county-level evidence, then open individual school and district records. SchoolsByCounty ranks counties by public education signals, not by private opinions or paid school ratings.

Short answer for Vermont

Grand Isle County is the strongest county-level starting point in Vermont by the current SchoolsByCounty score, with a measured school signal of 93/100. This is a county comparison signal, not a promise that every school in the county is the best fit for every family.

Ranking methodology

14 of 14 counties have enough federal education data for a county school score. The ranking favors counties with stronger available graduation-rate and school-finance signals, then asks parents to verify individual school fit locally. The table below should help parents choose what to compare next; it should not replace attendance-boundary checks, program eligibility, commute, services, or direct district confirmation.

State average per-pupil spending in this dataset: $11,012.

Top measured county school signals

Ranked by the county school score where enough federal data is available.

1Grand Isle CountyGraduation not reported · Spending $11,42993/100 2Lamoille CountyGraduation 89.2% · Spending $11,57170/100 3Addison CountyGraduation 87.0% · Spending $12,10464/100 4Chittenden CountyGraduation 85.8% · Spending $13,28062/100 5Washington CountyGraduation 82.8% · Spending $12,84556/100 6Rutland CountyGraduation 82.8% · Spending $12,59656/100 7Franklin CountyGraduation 83.0% · Spending $11,03855/100

Graduation-focused starting point

Lamoille County

89.2%

Lamoille County has the strongest reported county graduation-rate signal in Vermont. Use this as a broad county context, then review individual high-school records.

Funding context to inspect

Chittenden County

$13,280

Chittenden County reports the highest per-pupil spending among counties with available data. Higher spending is context, not a guarantee of student fit.

Counties to research carefully

Bennington County

20/100

Bennington County has one of the lowest measured county school signals in Vermont. Review missing data, district context, and individual school records before drawing conclusions.

District research

Compare Vermont public school districts before narrowing by address

Vermont has 106 public school district records and 303 school records in the NCES file. Use the district hub to sort large district systems by enrollment, school count, county context, and generated district-guide coverage.

View District Rankings

All Vermont Counties

County-level school score, graduation rate, and per-pupil spending for Vermont.
County	School Score	Graduation Rate	Per-Pupil Spending
Grand Isle County Graduation — Per pupil $11,429	93/100	—	$11,429
Lamoille County Graduation 89.2% Per pupil $11,571	70/100	89.2%	$11,571
Addison County Graduation 87.0% Per pupil $12,104	64/100	87.0%	$12,104
Chittenden County Graduation 85.8% Per pupil $13,280	62/100	85.8%	$13,280
Washington County Graduation 82.8% Per pupil $12,845	56/100	82.8%	$12,845
Rutland County Graduation 82.8% Per pupil $12,596	56/100	82.8%	$12,596
Franklin County Graduation 83.0% Per pupil $11,038	55/100	83.0%	$11,038
Windsor County Graduation 81.1% Per pupil $12,270	54/100	81.1%	$12,270
Caledonia County Graduation 84.0% Per pupil $9,402	51/100	84.0%	$9,402
Windham County Graduation 78.6% Per pupil $10,293	48/100	78.6%	$10,293
Orange County Graduation 79.1% Per pupil $10,019	48/100	79.1%	$10,019
Orleans County Graduation 75.4% Per pupil $10,608	48/100	75.4%	$10,608
Essex County Graduation 69.0% Per pupil $9,993	44/100	69.0%	$9,993
Bennington County Graduation 78.7% Per pupil $6,721	20/100	78.7%	$6,721

— = data not available for this county.

Compare county school profiles in Vermont

Use the comparison tool to review school scores, graduation rates, and spending side by side.

Compare Counties

Frequently Asked Questions About Vermont Schools

Which Vermont counties have the highest graduation rates?

Lamoille County (89.2%), Addison County (87.0%), and Chittenden County (85.8%) currently lead Vermont among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Vermont?

Across Vermont counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $11,012. The highest current county values are Chittenden County ($13,280), Washington County ($12,845), and Rutland County ($12,596). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

What are the best school counties in Vermont?

Grand Isle County, Lamoille County, Addison County have the strongest measured county-level school signals in Vermont, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data. These are county context rankings, not individual school ratings.

Which Vermont county has the strongest measured school score?

Grand Isle County has the highest school score in Vermont with a score of 93/100, based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data.

What is the average graduation rate in Vermont?

The average high school graduation rate across Vermont counties is 81.3%, based on NCES data.

Which county in Vermont has the lowest school score?

Bennington County has the lowest school score in Vermont with a score of 20/100. School scores reflect available graduation-rate and per-pupil spending signals.

Data Sources

Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.

Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.

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