Rick Hess, director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute, interviewed Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools, in an Education Week article. They discussed GreatSchools partnership with Oklahoma to launch the state’s new School Choice Hub, an AI-powered platform to help parents explore school options and financial resources. The interview has been edited for length.
When parents are choosing a school, how much do they weigh test scores as opposed to some of these other, more subjective factors?
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.
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?
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.
Do educators and school leaders use GreatSchools, or is it mostly a tool for parents?
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.
What’s one piece of advice for parents who are seeking the right school for their kid but don’t know where to start?
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.
Education Week
