How we score charter schools

Where the data comes from

Directory data (every school's name, location, grades, enrollment) comes from the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data, the federal directory of all public schools, refreshed annually. Performance data comes from each state's official assessment and accountability files: in California, that means CAASPP results and the California School Dashboard. Every scorecard shows its data year. We do not use estimates, scraped reviews, or self-reported numbers in grades.

How grades work

Grades compare a charter school to other public schools in the same state on published measures: assessment proficiency and, where the state publishes them, growth and accountability indicators. The formula for each state is published on that state's ranking page when its scorecards launch, including the exact weights. Schools serving special populations (credit recovery, special education focus, correctional settings) are flagged rather than graded, because a single letter would mislead.

A dotted chip · means a school is listed in the directory but not yet graded, either because its state's scorecards have not launched or because the state suppresses small-school data for privacy.

What a grade is not

Test scores correlate with demographics, and a letter grade cannot see a school's culture, safety, or fit for your child. Grades are a starting filter, not a verdict. That is why profiles carry directory facts and, in time, moderated family reviews shown separately from the grade, never blended into it.

The rules we hold ourselves to

1. Grades are computed from official public data only, with the data year displayed.
2. The formula is published. Anyone can recompute any grade.
3. Schools cannot pay to improve, hide, or remove a grade. Nobody can.
4. Corrections are fast: if our data mishandles your school, tell us and we check against the source file.
5. Our vendor directory is disclosed and kept separate from scoring. Featured partners have zero influence on grades.

The California formula, in full

California grades are computed from the official CAASPP research files (Smarter Balanced ELA and Mathematics, "All Students" group, all grades combined):

1. Combined proficiency = the average of a school's ELA and Math "percent met or exceeded standard".
2. Percentile = where that combined figure falls among all California charter schools with published data for both subjects.
3. Grade: A = 80th percentile and above · B = 60th–79.9th · C = 40th–59.9th · D = 20th–39.9th · F = below the 20th.

Schools with state-suppressed data (small test groups) or missing either subject receive no grade. Every graded profile shows the underlying ELA, Math, combined, and percentile figures, so any grade can be recomputed from the public file. Growth and accountability indicators from the California Dashboard will be folded in as a second version of the formula, announced here first.