What Makes a Good School? 5 Factors That Actually Matter
Published April 2, 2026 · Data Analysis
Parents often judge schools by reputation, neighborhood, or how much they spend per student. None of these reliably predict student outcomes. After analyzing 88,000+ schools, here are the five factors that actually separate good schools from mediocre ones.
1. Academic Proficiency Rate
The percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level proficiency in reading and math is the most direct measure of academic quality. It answers the fundamental question: are students learning what they need to learn? On OpenSchoolData, proficiency data comes from EDFacts and is reported at the district level.
The national average proficiency rate varies by state due to different standards, but within a state, proficiency rates are highly comparable. Top-performing schools consistently achieve proficiency rates above 70%, while struggling schools often fall below 30%.
2. Enrollment Stability and Demographics
A school's enrollment trends reveal important signals about community confidence. Schools with stable or growing enrollment are attracting families, while declining enrollment can indicate problems. On OpenSchoolData, enrollment data comes directly from NCES CCD at the school level, alongside demographics like free/reduced lunch eligibility and student-teacher ratios.
Enrollment data is especially useful when combined with proficiency rates, a school maintaining strong enrollment while serving a challenging population is doing something right.
3. Graduation Rate (High Schools)
For high schools, graduating students is the minimum standard of success. A school that teaches well but loses a quarter of its students before they finish is failing a significant portion of its population. Graduation rate data on OpenSchoolData comes from EDFacts and is reported at the district level. The top schools by graduation rate achieve 98-100%.
4. Student-Teacher Ratio
Student-teacher ratio is strongly correlated with outcomes, especially in elementary grades. Schools with ratios below 15:1 tend to have higher proficiency rates. This data comes directly from NCES CCD at the school level. See our analysis of what constitutes a good student-teacher ratio.
5. School Type and Programs
Whether a school is a traditional public school, charter, or magnet tells you about its governance and programs. NCES CCD data includes school type, Title I status, and grade levels served. Charter and magnet schools often offer specialized programs, while Title I schools receive additional federal funding. These characteristics provide context for understanding a school's academic data.
What Doesn't Matter as Much as You Think
- Per-pupil spending, Above a baseline, more money shows diminishing returns
- School size, Both small and large schools can be excellent
- Age of facilities, Building quality has minimal correlation with outcomes
- Neighborhood home prices, Wealth correlates with scores but not with growth
Frequently Asked Questions
High proficiency rates relative to similar schools are the strongest signal of academic quality. A school where the majority of students meet grade-level standards in reading and math demonstrates effective teaching and leadership.
Not necessarily. Research shows that above a baseline threshold, additional per-pupil spending has diminishing returns. How money is spent matters more than how much is spent. Some of the highest-performing schools operate with below-average funding.
No data source captures everything. Proficiency rates, graduation rates, and enrollment data measure academic outcomes. They do not measure arts programs, social-emotional learning, school safety, or student happiness. These intangible factors are important but require in-person evaluation.
Real federal data: NCES CCD enrollment (2022), EDFacts proficiency rates (2020, district-level), EDFacts graduation rates (2019, district-level).