Media room

5 things parents should know about the role of school boards

With all the attention focused on school boards, do you know what your school board actually does? GreatSchools shares what to look for and questions to ask.

Oakland, CA (April 22, 2024) — Nationwide, school board members make up the largest group of elected officials in the country, totaling approximately 95,000 people. Aside from teachers, principals and the district superintendent, school board members have the greatest influence on a child’s education because they decide on how to spend a district’s public school funds and set its governing policies.

District disconnect and parental exploration: Understanding the priorities and challenges of a post-pandemic education system

April 5, 2024 | By GreatSchools CEO Jon Deane

This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

A few weeks ago, many were quick to point out the four-year anniversary of the last “normal” week of our lives. Some pandemic-era reflections acknowledge the “silver linings” like more time with family, adoption of flexible work arrangements, gratitude for one’s health. With respect to education, however, it’s harder to find such perspectives, as headline after headline spotlight stunted K-12 academic achievement with serious long-term implications for a generation of learners.

Such facts are unquestionable and absolutely cause for concern. But long before that seismic shift in March 2020, a similar story held true: schools largely help some — but not all — students thrive. For many years, parents accepted this status quo, even as they desired otherwise in the form of emotionally supportive environments, rigorous college preparation, and the opportunity to explore diverse career pathways, to name a few.

GreatSchools.org and International Baccalaureate partner to connect families with global education curriculum

K-12 families can now search for IB World Schools, browse advanced academic offerings on nation’s leading school information site

Oakland, CA (February 22, 2024) — As parents continue to seek high quality education opportunities, connecting them with enriching programs that challenge their child to think critically and foster a love for learning is essential. Education nonprofit GreatSchools.org today announced a new data partnership with the International Baccalaureate^® (IB) to do just that, connecting parents directly with the global education program.

GreatSchools’ Salma Khan selected for Pahara Fellowship for education leaders

Khan joins the Pahara Institute’s cohort of values-driven leaders committed to transforming education

Oakland, CA (December 18, 2023) — The Pahara Institute has selected GreatSchools Chief of Staff Salma Khan to its prestigious Pahara Fellowship, a one-year program that distinguishes exceptional leaders in the educational excellence and equity movement. Khan joins a cohort of 24 leaders poised to transform the education system so that every child is prepared to lead a free and fulfilling life.

New data find nearly nine in 10 parents say their child is at or above grade level in reading and math, despite historic declines

Awareness gap sidelines parents in supporting their child’s learning

¹Washington, D.C. (November 15, 2023) — A new report from Gallup and Learning Heroes, B-flation: How Good Grades Can Sideline Parents, finds that while nearly eight in 10 U.S. parents (79%) say their child is receiving mostly B’s or better and almost nine in 10 believe their child is at or above grade level in reading (88%) and math (89%), they may not be seeing the full academic picture. Parents’ perceptions of their child’s performance deviate sharply from other measures, including standardized test scores, that suggest less than half of children are performing at grade level.