The school choice explosion has lent new urgency to the question of what information parents need when choosing schools. Well, GreatSchools has been working on that challenge for more than a quarter century. The site offers in-depth profiles of over 150,000 public and private schools, and it offers more than a million parent and community school ratings. Earlier this year, GreatSchools partnered with Oklahoma to launch the state’s new School Choice Hub, an AI-powered platform that can help parents explore school options and financial resources. I recently had a chance to chat with CEO Jon Deane about GreatSchools’ work. Here’s what he had to say.
—Rick

Rick: Jon, so what the heck is GreatSchools?

Jon: GreatSchools is a national nonprofit organization founded over 25 years ago to help families make confident decisions about their child’s education. We collect and analyze data from all 50 state departments of education, the District of Columbia, and the federal government to provide information on 150,000-plus public, charter, and private schools nationwide. Over 40 million parents visit our site each year to explore schools, read community reviews, and access tools to support their child’s learning.

Rick: How’d you get into this work?

Jon: I came to GreatSchools after spending most of my career in education. I started as a teacher and school leader, then worked with schools, districts, states, and nonprofit organizations on a range of education initiatives. One thing I learned along the way is that people who work in education often underestimate how complicated the system can be for families. I’m a dad of two school-aged children, so I see that from a parent’s perspective. There’s an enormous amount of information about schools out there, but it’s not always easy to find, understand, or act on.

Rick: What kind of information will users find on the site, and how do you decide what to include?

Jon: Our school profiles include academic performance, student progress, and college-readiness data alongside course offerings, extracurricular activities, demographics, school environment indicators, and community reviews. We also have hundreds of articles to help families understand their options, support learning at home, and strengthen relationships with teachers and schools. Our team spends a lot of time talking directly to parents about what information is most useful to them. We also value our many state and local partners, including schools, that help connect us with the data families are asking for.

Rick: OK, so when parents are choosing a school, how much do they weigh test scores as opposed to some of these other, more subjective factors?

Jon: The evidence is pretty clear that parents consider much more than just test scores when choosing a school. Academic performance matters, and families consistently tell us they want that information. But they also want to understand what day-to-day life at a school will be like for their child. Our research found that parents are looking for everything from academic and extracurricular offerings to school culture, communication style, after-school programs, and summer learning opportunities. I don’t think parents see this as an either-or decision. They want academic information alongside the broader context that helps them determine whether a school is the right fit for their child.

Rick: You’ve just launched a new partnership with Oklahoma. What’s that involve?

Jon: Oklahoma recognized a challenge many states face: They’ve expanded school choice, but families struggle to navigate a fragmented landscape of schools, programs, and eligibility requirements. They approached us to help create the Oklahoma School Choice Hub, an AI-powered search experience that helps families explore public, charter, and private schools; understand available financial aid; and discover complementary learning opportunities from local public libraries. Families enter a Zip code and tell us what they’re looking for in a school—whether that’s strong arts programs, specialized learning supports, or smaller class sizes. We then surface learning options that best align with those priorities. We also share anonymized, aggregated insights with Oklahoma leaders about the kinds of programs and supports parents are seeking.

Rick: We’ve been through some fierce debates over standardized testing and school choice over the past decade. How have those fights affected the work at GreatSchools?

Jon: Those debates have shaped the environment we operate in but haven’t changed our core focus. Parents consistently tell us they value academic data like test scores but also want to know whether a school will support their child’s unique goals. This is where the traditional outcomes data combined with community reviews help paint a broader picture for families.

Rick: Some critics have argued that GreatSchools steers families toward more affluent schools, which may inadvertently reinforce inequality. Is that a fair criticism?

Jon: Look, we recognize that academic outcomes are shaped by many factors beyond a school’s control. That’s why we’ve expanded the information we provide over time—like student progress, so you can better assess a school’s value add. We’ve also added information like specialized program offerings and parent reviews. We’ve even invited school leaders to share their own story directly on their school profile. Our goal is simply to help parents find the right school for their child.

Rick: Do educators and school leaders use GreatSchools, or is it mostly a tool for parents?

Jon: Our research shows that even with the rise of AI-assisted search, the vast majority of parents still rely on official school and district websites, along with platforms like GreatSchools, to search for schools. In many cases, a GreatSchools profile is one of the first things a prospective family sees when researching a school. Schools recognize this and are increasingly claiming their profiles on GreatSchools, which allows them to add information to their profile directly. Educators also use our site to understand what families are looking for and how their schools are perceived.

Rick: What’s one piece of advice for parents who are seeking the right school for their kid but don’t know where to start?

Jon: I’d encourage parents to think about their child as an individual learner, rather than focus on finding the “highest-rated” school. The best school for one child may not be the best fit for another. I always tell families to look at school data but also to visit schools, talk to other parents, and speak with teachers. Ask thoughtful questions and trust what you learn along the way.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.