Author: GreatSchools.org

GreatSchools is the leading national nonprofit empowering parents with essential information to improve educational opportunities for their child. GreatSchools’ trusted ratings and school quality information help parents find the right school for their family and take action to improve schools in their communities. Thousands of articles, tips and interactive tools help parents support their child’s learning and well-being every day. Families, community leaders and policymakers turn to GreatSchools for the school information they need to guide children to great futures.

Instead of School Supplies Give Parents a List of What Their Kids Need to Succeed

Originally published on EducationPost.org

August 17, 2018 — Last August I was visiting family in Oregon when I walked into a supermarket and by the front door saw a large sign that read in eye-catching print: “Give Kids The Tools They Need to Succeed.” The sign proceeds to list the “tools for success”: pencils, scissors, markers, glue sticks, erasers, crayons, colored pencils, notebook paper and hand sanitizer. Continue reading “”

Why High School Best Practices No Longer Need To Be Best-Kept Secrets

Originally published on Forbes.com

July 5, 2018 — Last week I attended a graduation ceremony at a local high school. In the waning sunlight, the sea of beaming faces on the field struck me with a mixture of hope and sadness. Hope because these kids seemed positively brimming with optimism, sadness because I knew the data. It was a typical American high school, so most of its graduates were not set up for success. In a country where all evidence shows that a college education is the most reliable path to a better life, only about 30% of our youth end up getting a four- or two-year degree. Continue reading “”

Analysis: Unlocking the Data Reveals 814 High Schools in 9 States That Prepare Their Graduates for Success in College and in Life

Originally published in The 74

April 25, 2018 — Many students will soon be throwing their graduation caps in the air, closing the chapter on high school as they start to write their next chapter of life. Our hope and expectation is that high school prepared them for what’s next. The truth is, for most students, we have no idea. Continue reading “”

College Success Award Celebrates 814 High Schools that Prepare Students to Get to and Succeed in College

First Recognition of its Kind Underscores the Importance of School-Level Postsecondary Data

OAKLAND, CA (April 26, 2018) — GreatSchools is proud to unveil the inaugural cohort of College Success Award recipients. This first-of-its-kind honor recognizes 814 schools across nine states that excel in ensuring students prepare for college, enroll in college and succeed once they get there. Continue reading “”

Why We’re Giving Parents More School Quality Info — and How States Can Step Up to Help

January 7, 2018 — Virtually every choice an American parent makes can be informed by facts, figures, and analysis. When one becomes a parent, this information becomes even more important. What’s the safest car seat for my child? How do my child’s height and weight compare with those of other kids their age? What’s the best way to develop healthy sleep habits?  Continue reading