Civic Transparency · Public Education

Accountable Boards =
Better Schools.

Grade the Board gives every community a clear, data-driven report card on their school board — grading academic outcomes, financial stewardship, and community accountability using public records.

See the SAISD Pilot → How Grades Work
How Each Board is Graded
D
Academics 50%
D
Finances 25%
F
Community 25%
D
Overall Grade
San Antonio ISD · Live Pilot
The Problem

School boards govern $800B+ annually. Almost no one is watching.

13,024
School Districts in the US
Each governed by an elected or appointed board with sweeping authority over budgets, curriculum, hiring, and facilities — with almost no consistent public accountability standard.
15%
Typical Voter Turnout
Most school board elections happen off-cycle, in May, with little coverage and even less public awareness. The boards governing your children's schools are chosen by a tiny fraction of the community.
0
Consistent Grading Standards
There is no standard framework for evaluating school board performance across districts. Communities have no way to compare, no baseline to hold members accountable to, and no place to turn.
How It Works

Three grades. One clear verdict.

1
We Pull Public Data
STAAR scores from TEA, financial records from CAFRs and the Texas Bond Review Board, and campaign finance reports from the Ethics Commission.
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2
We Apply the Methodology
Every district is graded the same way — peer-relative academic performance, fiscal health, and financial independence from large donors. All methodology is public.
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3
Communities See the Truth
A clear A–F report card for every board — by dimension, by individual trustee, and overall. Data sources cited. No spin. Just the record.
Read the Full Methodology
The Three Dimensions

Every grade is built from public data, three ways.

50%
Academics
STAAR Math and Reading scores compared to peer districts of similar size and demographics. 40% current performance, 60% recency-weighted 5-year trend. Growth matters most because a rising district signals board decisions are working.
25%
Finances
Debt per student (70%) and spending efficiency (30%), both compared against peer districts. Any district carrying more than $20,000 per student in bond debt is capped at a D — extreme debt is disqualifying for a good grade regardless of peer rank.
25%
Community
The Independence Score: what share of each trustee's campaign funding came from small community donors vs. large institutional interests? More than 50% from donors giving $100 or less earns an A. Majority from $1,000+ donors earns an F.
D
Academic
D
Finance
F
Community
=
D
Overall
Live Pilot · Bexar County, TX

We already graded San Antonio ISD.

44,635 students. $1.2B in bond debt. Four of seven trustees funded primarily by large institutional donors. See every number, every source, and every trustee's individual grade.

See the Full SAISD Report →
Why It Matters
$800B+

Annual public education spending

School boards are among the most consequential governing bodies in America — controlling more spending than most cities and counties, with almost no consistent accountability framework.

50M

Students directly affected

Board decisions on curriculum, finance, and staffing shape the educational outcomes of 50 million public school students. Those decisions deserve scrutiny.

80%

Of SAISD board funding from $1k+ donors

In San Antonio, 80 cents of every campaign dollar raised by board members came from donors giving $1,000 or more — not from the families they represent.

"Communities deserve to know whether the people governing their schools are accountable to students and families — or to someone else entirely."
Grade the Board · Mission Statement

Every grade on this site is derived from public records. All methodology is documented. Our goal is not to attack boards — it is to give communities the information they need to make good decisions at the ballot box.

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