School rating sites compared
SchoolScope
vs. GreatSchools
GreatSchools covers every state and hosts parent reviews. SchoolScope covers California and shows the split between students who scored Advanced and students who scored Proficient.
GreatSchools’ pages last read: August 15, 2026 · SchoolScope data: California state tests (CAASPP), 2025–26
GreatSchools
1to 10
One rating for each school, in all 50 states
SchoolScope
50to 100
A Scope Score with its percentile, for California schools
How to read this comparison
Three questions to ask of any school rating
Their strengths
GreatSchools reaches parents in every state, inside home-buying sites.
GreatSchools is a nonprofit, and parents use it for good reasons.
50states
GreatSchools covers the whole country.
$0to use
It is free and nonprofit. Families pay nothing.
- Reach.Its ratings appear in Zillow, Realtor.com and other home-buying tools, so parents see them while they look for a home.
- Results for every student group.Its profiles show how different groups of students do. It marks schools with strong results for students from all backgrounds.
- Parent reviews.Families write about things test scores can’t show, such as teachers and school culture.
- Student progress rating.Some schools show a growth rating.
Side by side
Which measures each site reports separately
GreatSchools gives each school one rating from 1 to 10. The table shows the measures SchoolScope reports separately.
| What we measure | SchoolScope | GreatSchools |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced vs. Proficient split (formerly Exceeded vs. Met) | Separate measures: the share who scored Advanced, apart from the share who scored Proficient | Not shown as separate measures in its public ratings |
| 5th graders against 3rd graders two years earlier | The same school’s classes compared (6th to 8th graders at a middle school). Partly different children, so it shows a direction only | A student progress rating on some schools, not on all |
| Chronic absence and suspensions | Both count in the Scope Score. Schools with high rates score lower | Its published rating method lists the measures each rating uses |
| Published method | Every weight and data source on our methodology page, with our own score’s correlation with family income and how each weight change moved it | Publishes its rating method, including component weights and worked examples |
GreatSchools’ method: its ratings methodology page, read August 15, 2026.
Coverage
What each site covers
SchoolScope reports California’s records in detail. This list shows what each site covers.
- States.GreatSchools covers all 50. SchoolScope covers one, California.
- Reviews.GreatSchools hosts open parent reviews. We publish LAUSD’s School Experience Survey results (students, families and staff), and what verified staff told us about their school as a workplace. Family answers we collect are counted, not shown.
- Facilities, programs and athletics.SchoolScope doesn’t list them; check GreatSchools or the school’s own site.
- History.GreatSchools has run for years. SchoolScope is new, with a shorter record.
Our take
When to use each site
GreatSchools
GreatSchools is a good place to start.
It gives you a short summary of nearly any school in America, plus parent reviews we don’t have.
SchoolScope
SchoolScope reports California test results in detail.
It shows the split between students who scored Advanced and students who scored Proficient, with chronic absence and suspension rates weighted into the Scope Score.
Our suggestion. Start with GreatSchools for parent reviews and other states. Then open a school on SchoolScope to see the results behind one rating.
Questions
Common questions
How is SchoolScope different from GreatSchools?
SchoolScope shows data GreatSchools doesn’t show prominently: the split between students who scored Advanced and students who scored Proficient, how a school’s 5th graders scored against its 3rd graders two years earlier (partly different children), and chronic absence and suspension rates, each weighted into the Scope Score with published weights.
Is GreatSchools or SchoolScope more accurate?
Both use official state data. GreatSchools gives a broader view, with parent reviews and results by student group, across all 50 states. SchoolScope goes deeper on California test results, with a Scope Score that counts students who scored Advanced separately from those who scored Proficient: six measures for elementary schools, six measures for middle schools and seven measures for high schools.
Does SchoolScope replace GreatSchools?
No. We recommend using both. GreatSchools offers parent reviews, a mark for schools with strong results for students from all backgrounds, and coverage of every state. SchoolScope gives more detail on test results for California elementary, middle and high schools, including measures we haven’t found shown clearly on GreatSchools.
Where do you want to start?
Start from a school’s name, your city or your ZIP code.