Transparency Index Scoring Methodology
21 criteria across 5 categories, 100 points total. Each jurisdiction is evaluated from the perspective of a professional researcher or external stakeholder who needs to access state education data at scale.
Version 2.2 · February 2026 · Applied to all 51 jurisdictions (50 states + DC)
“Can a researcher or stakeholder efficiently access and use this state's education data at scale?”
Data Availability
Can you get the data you need?
Data Freshness
How current is the data?
Data Accessibility
How easy is it to access the data?
Data Completeness
How comprehensive is the data?
Data Usability
How well documented and user-friendly is the data?
Edge Cases & Clarifications
How we handle non-standard situations
Assessment Transitions
When a state is transitioning between assessment systems (e.g., North Dakota moving from NDSA to ND A+), we score based on the most recent available data. If no current-year assessment data is available due to transition, the state receives reduced points in Assessment Currency (criterion 2.1) but is not penalized elsewhere for the transition itself.
Unique State Structures
Hawaii's single statewide district is evaluated as any other state; the absence of district-level comparison is inherent to the structure rather than a data accessibility issue. States with county-based systems (Florida, Maryland, West Virginia) receive full credit for district coverage if all counties are included.
Interactive vs. Bulk Downloads
Interactive tools that allow selecting "all districts" and exporting receive partial bulk download credit (3-5 points) but not full credit (7 points). True bulk download means a single file is available without filtering. The distinction matters because interactive exports often truncate data, require multiple steps, or may not include all fields.
Open Data Portals
States that publish education datasets on general state Open Data portals (data.state.gov platforms) receive partial API credit (1-2 points) even if the education department doesn't maintain a direct API. This recognizes that the data is programmatically accessible through the Open Data infrastructure.
Financial Year Definitions
Financial freshness is evaluated against fiscal year availability as of the evaluation date (February 2026). A state with FY2023-24 data available receives full freshness credit (8 points). The "typical" 2-year lag (FY2022-23 available in 2025-26) receives 4 points.
EduSignal K-12 State Data Transparency Index · Scoring Methodology v2.2
Questions? research@edusignal.ai