GreatSchools Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About GreatSchools

School Data: Public & Charter Schools
School Data: Private Schools
Enhanced School Profiles
GreatSchools Ratings
Comparing Schools
GreatSchools Newsletters
SchwabLearning Transition
Other Questions About GreatSchools

School Data: Public & Charter Schools

What kinds of schools are included on GreatSchools.net?

GreatSchools.net includes profiles of more than 90,000 public elementary, middle and high schools in the United States. Charter schools, magnet schools, year-round schools, and some continuation and alternative schools are included. Certain types of public school programs--such as regional occupational schools, adult schools or independent study schools, and schools that have been in operation for less than two years--may not be included because not enough information is available to create complete GreatSchools.net profiles.

GreatSchools.net also includes basic information on more than 25,000 private schools. This information is limited because private schools do not have to follow the same state and federal laws as public schools. For example, public schools are required to administer standardized exams and publicize the results, but private schools are not required to give these tests or report results. As a result, there is not enough performance information for comparison.

What information does a school profile include?

Public school profiles in every state include most or all of the following information:

Phone number, address, district name, location map
Grade levels served, school type, enrollment
Detailed academic performance data, including state-mandated standardized test results
Student-teacher ratio, student ethnicity breakdown and other important teacher/student stats
Clear explanations for all data presented
GreatSchools Ratings

In addition, all schools have the option of "upgrading"--at no cost--to an Enhanced School Profile, which allows principals to add a great deal of additional information about curriculum, programs, activities, school vision and leadership. Get more information in our FAQ about ESPs.

Where does GreatSchools acquire school data?

Test scores for most states come from the state Department of Education. School contact information and teacher/student stats are obtained either from the state Department of Education or from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All test scores and teacher/student data on GreatSchools.net are accompanied by a note indicating the source and school year of the data.

Why does GreatSchools have more data for some states than others?

We publish school data for all 50 states and the District of Columbia; however, you will see more in-depth school profiles in some states than others. State Departments of Education vary widely in the amount and type of data they release, so the specific data points we are able to acquire may be somewhat different from state to state. Additionally, being a small nonprofit, we must allocate our resources wisely, which means putting the most resources into larger states where we can reach the most parents.

How often is the school information updated?

Different types of data are updated at different times throughout the year. Our goal is to update all data at least once a year in every state, using the most recent available information from either the state Department of Education or the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All test scores and teacher/student data on GreatSchools.net are accompanied by a note indicating the source and school year of the data.

Information on Enhanced School Profiles (ESPs) is updated as often as principals choose to edit their information. Each ESP shows the date the last updates were made.

What if I see an incorrect address or phone number on your site?

We strive to keep our school contact information up to date, but we realize there may be changes that are not reflected in our data. If you see any school contact information that you know to be incorrect, please take the following steps, so that we can provide our users with the best possible information:

We rely on state Departments of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for our school contact information. Please notify the appropriate state Department of Education to correct the school's information.
Let the school's principal know that they can sign up for an Enhanced School Profile, which will allow them to directly edit the school's contact information, as well as contribute additional information about their school.
Contact us about the incorrect data and we will fix it. However, please note that our manual corrections will be overwritten by the state or national data source the next time we import their data, so step 1 above is very important.

What if I know of a public or charter school that is not listed on GreatSchools.net?

We rely on state Departments of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for our school directory and are unable to add public or charter schools individually to our Web site. If a public or charter school is missing from our site, it is usually because these data sources failed to provide the information. If you know of a public or charter school that is not listed, we recommend that you contact the appropriate state Department of Education and NCES and ask both entities to list the school. We are working to expand our capabilities so that our school listings are always completely current.

Where can I find information about job opportunities, a particular school's teachers, students or events, or get copies of my transcripts?

GreatSchools is not directly connected to any particular school and cannot relay your questions or comments to school officials. We do not have information about current or former students or staff at any school or employment with a particular school or district. Contact the school directly for this type of information.

How can I request a custom report based on the data shown on GreatSchools.net?

All requests for custom reports based on our data should be directed to businessdevelopment@greatschools.net. Be sure to let us know if you are a nonprofit or for-profit entity and how you intend to utilize our data. Please note, a fee may be charged to cover our processing costs.

Where can I get a map of district boundaries?

Some districts publish maps that show the district boundaries. Call your local district to see if a map is available. But keep in mind that in many districts, enrollment is only partly based on location and, during the open enrollment period, parents can choose from other schools in the district that have space.

Didn't find the answer you're looking for? Contact us about our school information.

School Data: Private Schools

Why does GreatSchools have less information about private schools than public schools?

Public schools are funded with tax dollars and, therefore, are required to report detailed data, including test scores, class size, attendance and student demographics. Private schools, which are not funded with public money, do not have to report data about their schools or make it available to the public. We continuously strive to acquire additional private school data whenever it is available.

Where does GreatSchools get its private school information?

Our private school information comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and some state Departments of Education. The most recent NCES data is for the 2003-2004 school year, while state-supplied data is much more current.

What if I know of a private school that is not listed on GreatSchools.net?

If a private school is missing from our site, it is usually because the source of our data failed to provide the information--either the state Department of Education or the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). If you know of a private school that is not listed, please submit the school's information to us. Note: We can add private schools individually, but do not have the resources to add public or charter schools individually.

Can the principal send you information that isn't otherwise available?

Once a private school is listed on our site, the school's principal may provide additional information, free of charge, through our Enhanced School Profile feature. Get more information in our FAQ about ESPs.

Where can I find additional data about private schools, such as test scores, student demographics and teacher experience?

Contact the schools individually. You can find contact information for private schools on our school profiles.

Didn't find the answer you're looking for? Contact us about our school information.

Enhanced School Profiles

What is an Enhanced School Profile?

An Enhanced School Profile allows the principal or other school official to add the following information about the school directly to their GreatSchools.net profile:

Mission
Schedule and calendar
Detailed descriptions of curriculum and enrichment activities (music, sports, etc.)
In-depth information on staff, safety, student support, community involvement and much more

As an added bonus, the Enhanced School Profile also lets the principal or other school official edit the school's contact information directly, in the event that the school's address or phone number has changed since we last updated it.

Is an Enhanced School Profile free?

Yes, absolutely free, and school principals or school officials can update it anytime they like.

Why would I want an Enhanced School Profile for my school?

GreatSchools.net is the most visited K-12 education Web site in the country, attracting thousands of people every day. Parents, community leaders, potential volunteers, funders, teachers and people looking for education jobs will have access to information that you provide about your school. You can use your profile to draw attention to your school's successes and unique qualities, and even point your school community straight to your GreatSchools profile to gather important information. It's a great way to spread the word about your school to a broader audience, even if you already have a school Web site.

How can my school create an Enhanced School Profile?

Creating an Enhanced School Profile is simple! Principals and school officials, get started on your Enhanced School Profile using our secure, online questionnaire. Or read more about Enhanced School Profiles.

Didn't find the answer you're looking for? Contact us about Enhanced School Profiles.

GreatSchools Ratings

How are the GreatSchools Test Score Ratings calculated?

GreatSchools analyzes each school's performance on state standardized tests and provides a one through ten rating for the school's performance relative to other schools in the state. Our ratings also allow you to compare the performance of particular grade levels and groups of students to comparable groups in other schools in the state. A rating of "10" means that the group's test scores are in the top 10% compared to scores for the same group across all schools in the state. In other words, that group's test score performance is as good as, or better than, 90% of the scores for that group in the state. A rating of "1" means that the group is in the bottom 10% compared to scores for that group across all schools in the state.

GreatSchools' Overall Ratings are calculated by averaging the ratings for each grade and subject. A Test Score Rating is not given if fewer than 50 schools have data for a particular group. The different student groups (category, ethnicity and gender) are identified by the state Department of Education; if there is a small number of students in a particular group in a school, data is not reported for that group.

Please keep in mind that it's important to factor in information other than Test Score Ratings, including the quality of each school's teachers, the school culture and special programs, when evaluating a school. Also note that GreatSchools Ratings are not linked to any performance ratings given by the state Department of Education.

Didn't find the answer you're looking for? Contact us about our ratings.

Comparing Schools

How do I compare schools?

You can compare schools that are near an address, or within a specific district, county or state. Just click on the "Compare Schools" link at the top of any school profile or visit the tab 'Research & Compare' to get started. It's possible to compare schools in different counties by saving schools to My School List, then comparing those schools.

What is My School List?

My School List is a tool that lets you compile a list of schools, save and compare them. To build a list, go to any school profile on GreatSchools.net and click on the link, "Add this school to My School List," next to the name of the school. Once you have a list of schools, you can easily compare the schools in your list.

Can I compare schools in different states?

Unfortunately, it isn't possible to compare student achievement across states because different states administer different standardized tests.

Can I compare public and private schools?

It isn't possible to compare public and private schools because many private schools do not take the same state-required tests as public schools, and private schools are not required by law to publish the same information as public schools.

Didn't find the answer you're looking for? Contact us about comparing schools.

GreatSchools Newsletters

What newsletters does GreatSchools provide?

We have a family of free email newsletters to help your child succeed in school. Choose newsletters for your child’s school, your child’s grade, or get timely tips and advice.

Parent Advisor is a monthly newsletter that provides timely tips on helping your child succeed in school.
My School Stats is a periodic newsletter, currently available in many of our in-depth states that provides the latest updates about test scores, teacher quality, funding and more at your child's school, and shows you how your school compares to others in your state.
Keep your child on track in the classroom: Get expert advice, ideas for learning activities, book recommendations and more. For parents of children in kindergarten through fifth grade. Sign up for My Kindergartner, My First-Grader, My Second-Grader, My Third-Grader, My-Fourth Grader or My Fifth-Grader.
Get your child ready for high school and college: Find expert tips and advice focused on academics, behavior issues, financial planning and college preparation. For parents of middle and high school students. Sign up for Middle School Matters and Countdown to College.

How do I sign up for free GreatSchools newsletters?

To see samples and sign up for any of our newsletters, click here.

How can I change my newsletter preferences or unsubscribe?

You can manage your GreatSchools newsletter subscriptions here.

What if my email address has changed?

No problem. Go to the subscription management page, enter the email address to which we have been sending your newsletters and click "Continue." On the following page you'll have the option to update your email address.

Didn't find the answer you're looking for? Contact us about our newsletters.

SchwabLearning.org Transition

We're pleased to announce that GreatSchools is the new host for the valuable articles and resources developed by SchwabLearning.org to provide information and inspiration to parents of children with learning and attention difficulties.

GreatSchools acquired and began hosting SchwabLearning.org in January, 2008, and we recently transferred most of the Schwab Learning content to the GreatSchools Web site. Below are answers to questions you may have about the transition of the Web site and how it affects you.

Can I still access SchwabLearning.org?

No. Now that the core content has been transitioned to GreatSchools.net the SchwabLearning.org site is not available. From now on, anyone who visits SchwabLearning.org will be automatically redirected to the new Learning Difficulties section on GreatSchools.net.

Will GreatSchools develop the same kind of articles that SchwabLearning.org provided?

Yes. We understand the value of the type of articles and other content created by SchwabLearning.org. GreatSchools will continue to develop new content that is relevant to parents whose children have learning and attention difficulties — and we’ll keep the existing content up-to-date.

To ensure the accuracy and timeliness of our content, we’ve recruited several experts in the field of learning difficulties to serve as consultants to our editorial team.

Can I access the articles that were on SchwabLearning.org?

Most of the articles that existed on SchwabLearning.org are now available on GreatSchools.net. This includes articles in English and Spanish, and the Assistive Technology Tools database.

What about my SchwabLearning.org newsletter?

If you previously subscribed to the SchwabLearning.org weekly email newsletter, your subscription should have automatically transferred to GreatSchools, as we now send our Helping Kids with Learning Difficulties newsletter once a month. Each issue of our newsletter features new or updated articles. If for some reason you have not received this newsletter in 2008, please subscribe here.

Note: GreatSchools has a number of other free email newsletters for parents.

Does GreatSchools host a message board for parents of kids with learning difficulties?

Yes. We invite former Schwab Learning message board members to continue the discussion on the GreatSchools Parent Community. Be sure to check out two of our most active online parent groups:

Learning and Attention Difficulties
Schwabbies (former SchwabLearning.org members)

To learn more about the GreatSchools Parent Community, take a tour of the community or read the GreatSchools Parent Community FAQ. Any questions about the GreatSchools Parent Community can be sent to communitysupport@greatschools.net.

Can I still access the SchwabLearning.org message board archive?

Yes. The SchwabLearning.org message board archive (a read-only board) is still available and searchable to allow you to refer back to previous discussions.

My child loves SparkTop.org – how can I access it?

The SparkTop.org site is now owned by the Professor Garfield Foundation but your child will still be able to access www.SparkTop.org to enjoy its features and activities. Please visit the Professor Garfield Foundation site for more information about this feature.

I've saved bookmarks to several articles on SchwabLearning.org. Now that SchwabLearning.org is shut down, will those bookmarks link to the corresponding articles on GreatSchools.net?

Yes, your saved bookmarks will still work, and you will be automatically redirected to the corresponding article on GreatSchools.net.

Can I refer back to the SchwabLearning.org message board?

The SchwabLearning.org message board archive is now available and searchable to allow you to refer back to previous discussions. The message board archive can be accessed via the "Schwabbies" group on our community. Any links you have bookmarked to discussions on the SchwabLearning.org Message Board should redirect you to the new archive page.