Massachusetts was named Wednesday as winner of the 2003 Smartest State Award by a Lawrence research and publishing company.

The Bay State earned the No. 1 ranking for its excellence in elementary and secondary education, based on 21 factors.

At the bottom of the pile for the second year was New Mexico.

Kansas, ranked 14th last year in the first edition of Education State Rankings, fell one spot to 15th.

“Massachusetts has a winning combination,” said Scott Morgan, president of Morgan Quitno Press, which publishes the annual education reference book.

“The award recognizes those states with a strong commitment to its students and teachers, an emphasis on excellence in the classroom and support of safe, efficiently run public schools.”

Rounding out the top five in the 2003-2004 edition of the book were Vermont, Connecticut, Montana and New Jersey.

The lower end of the scale: Nevada, 49th; Mississippi, 48th; Louisiana, 47th; and Alabama, 46th.

For more on this story, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Journal-World.