Methodology

Sourcing

Every number on this site comes from a public record, and every page links to its source. We do not estimate, extrapolate, or fabricate values. When a metric isn't yet available for a school or state, the page shows an honest empty state rather than a placeholder.

Joining data

Schools are identified by their 12-digit NCES school ID (the federal standard), which lets us connect a school's directory record to its enrollment, finance, assessment, graduation, and equity data from federal datasets. Where a state file uses a different identifier, we map it to the NCES ID.

Report cards

A school's report card aggregates the public metrics available for that school — test proficiency, growth, graduation rate, per-pupil spending, demographics, staffing, and equity indicators — each labeled with its source and reporting year. Sections appear only when real data exists.

Rankings

Any ranking we publish is computed transparently from public data using a documented formula, and we show the underlying inputs. We do not reproduce proprietary third-party ratings.

A note on comparing across states

State assessment results are not directly comparable from one state to another — each state uses different tests and proficiency cut scores. For any nationally comparable achievement figures we rely on the Stanford Education Data Archive (SEDA), which places scores on a common scale. We flag clearly when a number is state-specific versus nationally comparable.

Updates & corrections

After-school program and funding data are ingested daily; federal school datasets are refreshed on their annual release cycle, with the reporting year shown on each page. Found an error? Sources sometimes contain typos or omissions — let us know and we'll review.