A national report card issued by Education Week ranks Pennsylvania schools 10th and shows significant variation among the states.

Pennsylvania earned a "B-minus" overall, compared to a national average of "C."

The "Quality Counts" report, released Wednesday, looked at six main areas: students' chance for success; K-12 achievement; standards, assessments and accountability; transitions and alignment; the teaching profession; and school finance.

Pennsylvania's grades ranged from B-minus to C-plus in the six areas, all but one higher than the national average.

Its lowest rank, 32nd, was for standards, assessments and accountability, for which it earned a C-plus, at least in part for lacking what the report considered standards that are clear, specific and grounded in content at all levels.

"The latest 'Quality Counts' report shows we are moving to the head of the class nationally, but we cannot afford to rest on our laurels," said state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak. "We still have much work to do to ensure that every child graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed beyond high school."

Pennsylvania also scored in the top five in a measure of teacher pay. The report compared how much professionals in 16 "comparable" occupations -- including accountants, computer programmers, insurance underwriters and registered nurses -- were paid.

The report concluded that teachers on average nationwide were paid 88 cents for every $1 earned by those in comparable professions. However, in Pennsylvania, which was the fifth-highest, teachers earned $1.01 for every $1 those in the other professions earn.

Beyond the rankings, the report emphasized the importance of teacher quality.

"We have lots of research now indicating that high-quality teaching matters more to student achievement than anything else schools do," said Lynn Olson, executive project editor for the "Quality Counts" report, which includes the rankings.

In the overall rankings, the top states -- New York, Massachusetts and Maryland -- each received a B.

West Virginia and Ohio ranked higher -- sixth and seventh, respectively -- but received a B-minus as Pennsylvania did.