New site turns state test results into a single, comparable letter grade and shows how each school performs relative to expectations given its community context.
Terra Lake Data today announced the public launch of SchoolGrade.org, a new destination that makes it easy for families to compare schools fairly. SchoolGrade converts state test results into one letter grade and displays Actual vs. Projected proficiency side by side so users can see real impact – not just raw scores. Schools cannot pay to change grades.
At the core of the site is SchoolGrade™, a single letter grade anchored in proficiency, paired with Actual vs. Projected performance that estimates expected proficiency from community context (e.g., socioeconomic factors). A complementary Teacher Grade summarizes the gap – Greatly Exceeds, Exceeds, Meets, or Below expectations – as a simple signal for where outcomes outperform (or trail) expectations; it is not an evaluation of individual teachers.
Behind the scenes, SchoolGrade's model integrates nationwide administrative datasets and granular demographic microdata to predict expected test performance with >95% out-of-sample accuracy using hundreds of covariates. By neutralizing the confounding influence of wealth and other structural factors, the metric foregrounds what families want to know: how effectively each school helps its own students learn.
Why it matters: Traditional rankings often reward advantage. SchoolGrade separates what a school controls from what it inherits, enabling apples to apples comparisons across neighborhoods and districts. The result: families can spot hidden gems-schools beating expectations that might not top raw score lists – and identify campuses where extra support could move the needle.
Signals, not verdicts: The letter grade and Teacher Grade are designed to start a conversation, not end one. A “below expectations” signal is a prompt for deeper research, program review, and community partnership – not a label of failure.
Integrity and transparency: SchoolGrade reflects publicly available K-12 assessment data modeled against community context. The methodology is explained in plain English on the site's About page, and the model will be refreshed as new assessment data becomes available. Terra Lake Data maintains a strict no-pay-to-play policy; schools and districts cannot influence grades or placement.
For families and communities:
— Use the SchoolGrade to screen options quickly.
— Use Actual vs. Projected to see which schools are outperforming peers with similar context.
— Use the Teacher Grade as a clear summary of the gap to guide further questions and school visits.
AvailabilitySchoolGrade.org is live nationwide today. For press inquiries or data questions, please use the contact form on the About page.
About Terra Lake DataTerra Lake Data builds consumer-facing decision tools and large-scale datasets that make complex choices simple-combining rigorous methodology with plain-English presentation. SchoolGrade.org is a Terra Lake Data product.
Contact:Edwin Ivanauskas385-469-0720401575@email4pr.com
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SOURCE Terra Lake Data
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