When schools are a major factor in your client's home search, you can be sure of two things: 1) your client's are asking their network to recommend good schools, and 2) they are looking at the school ratings published by GreatSchools. Both of these things are very influential.

But in reality, these two methods will reveal a biased view of only a few of their school options.

By referring your clients to SchoolSparrow, you are helping them get a clearer picture of their options, and countering ways in which they are being misled.

The reason is GreatSchools uses test scores as a "school quality" metric, but research has shown repeatedly that test scores are a product of parent income, not school quality. Watch the video for more details.

DATA DRIVES
GOOD DECISIONS

Our unique ranking metrics deliver more transparent and fair data so families can make good decisions based on real comparisons. Other ranking sites are showing only part of the picture - with test scores alone acting as a major factor - and do not compare apples to apples. As a result, biased data guides family school decisions and public perceptions of a community.

We are providing a way for families to have a more balanced view of the school districts they may be moving into.

The dominant school ratings support a damaging narrative that schools where parents have high incomes are "good" and schools where parents have diverse or moderate and low incomes are "bad". But that's not always true. Word of mouth tends to follow the ratings, and a network of friends tends to know a small subset of the same 4 or 5 schools that are "good".


As a result, your clients are being steered toward homogenous schools with higher real estate prices, and away from diverse schools with lower real estate prices and sometimes better commute times.

The short answer: the ratings displayed on Zillow, Redfin, etc. are supplied by GreatSchools.org, and their ratings are heavily influenced by test scores. But test scores are a function of parent income, not school quality. As a result, schools where parents have high incomes get high scores, and schools where parents have lower incomes get low scores.

SchoolSparrow ratings focus on how teachers, not socio-economic status, are impacting student performance. By supporting our efforts, you demonstrate to your client's how important equity and inclusion is to you and your business. Become a supporter.

Your support will help change the narrative of neighborhoods and cities across the country that are unfairly portrayed under the pretense that the schools are low quality.

HOW CAN BEING A SCHOOLSPARROW
SUPPORTER HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

Our supporters get free tools that will help realtors 1) create delighted buyer clients and 2) win more listings.

Parents will appreciate your knowledge about alternative resources when it comes to the very personal decision of school choice. And inevitably when one of your client's discovers a school with better homes for their money, and with less of a commute, you will have increased your client's quality of life. Your client will never forget.

SUPPORTERS GET

FREE SEARCH WIDGET

Supporters get this free widget that will reveal the top 30 schools, ranked by our ratings methodology, with homes for sale RIGHT NOW that match your clients real estate parameters. Give it a test to see how school quality with the context of home prices can help your clients' search.

ADDITIONAL TOOLS

SchoolSparrow supporters will have additional marketing tools to help change the narrative of underrated schools and neighborhoods, for example:

• Free agent landing page that caters to parents that care about schools.
• Templates for creating content about schools
• Example marketing pieces for schools that can be delivered to places where parents frequent, such as daycares and preschools.
• Our SchoolSarrow Certified credential to help you win listings. 

PARTNER WITH A FAIR RANKING SYSTEM

By becoming a partner, you can show the world how important equity and fairness is to your value system, your brokerage, and your clients.

We might give preference to real estate agents that have their listings featured on SchoolSparrow, particularly when the schools that serve our developments are underrated.

- Johnny Ronan, Chicago Developer

READY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW YOU CAN HELP BRING CHANGE?