NearbySchools™ API by GreatSchools

Developer Resources

Thank you for your interest in the NearbySchools API. Below are some helpful resources for developers.

• Technical Documentation
• Download Attribution & Branding Requirements (ZIP)
• Terms of Service

Don’t see an answer to your question below? Email us directly at api-support@greatschools.org.

What is an API?

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is like a messenger that lets different software programs talk to each other and share information. It’s a way for developers to use features or data from one program in their own applications without having to build everything from scratch. In this case, the NearbySchools API will allow you to connect with our server and pull a live subset of our K-12 school data from our database, based on the specific API request (or “call”) you make.

What is an API call?

An API call is like making a request for information or asking a question to another program or service. It’s how your website or application asks another system to do something specific, like getting data or performing an action. The NearbySchools API allows you to make API calls to several endpoints, and each endpoint requires different parameters & returns different data. See a full list of available endpoints in our Technical Documentation.

Does the NearbySchools API have a rate limit?

The API rate limit (or the number of calls that a user can make during a specific time interval) is 10 requests per second.

• Rate: The highest average # of calls per second that can be sustained is 10 requests per second.
• Burst: The maximum # of calls in any given second is 20 requests, as long as the overall average remains below the Rate.

Are there any guidelines around how I can display GreatSchools data?

Yes, when displaying content received from the NearbySchools API, you must abide by our Terms of Service and meet the requirements outlined in the GreatSchools Attribution & Branding Requirements. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Displaying a copyright notice nearby.
• Displaying the GreatSchools logo nearby.
• Linking to the GreatSchools website and applicable School Profiles.
• Displaying the appropriate icon/image associated with GreatSchools School Rating Bands.

Failure to follow these requirements may result in the suspension or termination of your subscription.

Do you offer ‘cost per call’ plans?

Yes, both the School Essentials and School Quality plans are offered under a usage-based/cost-per-call model. Each month, subscribers pay a flat fee which includes 15,000 calls as well as an additional amount based on the number of calls made over those 15k calls. Each plan has an absolute limit of 300,000 calls per month. If you require more calls, you may inquire about our Enterprise Data License, which has an unlimited API delivery method.

How do I change my NearbySchools API plan?

You can request to change your plan at any time by emailing api-support@greatschools.org. If you request a change before the end of your current billing cycle, the new invoice created will not be prorated, and you will start a new billing cycle. You will be able to use your existing API key, as it will now be associated with your new plan. You may also request for the change to take place at the end of your current billing cycle and we will schedule the change to take place on the appropriate day. Please allow 1-3 business days for the update to take place.

Is there a way to check the number of API requests that I’ve made this month?

Yes, you can make a call to the ‘Current Usage’ endpoint to check how many requests you’ve made and other  information about the current billing period. Making calls to this endpoint will never be counted towards your billable call total. Note that this usage information may take 1-2 days to be reflected in the Stripe customer portal.

What is the difference between each NearbySchools API plan?

You may sign up to use the GreatSchools NearbySchools API under our School Essentials or School Quality plans. The School Essentials plan provides detailed directory data for a school (e.g. name, address, grades offered, etc). The School Quality plan includes the same directory data and also provides our GreatSchools School Rating Bands to assess school quality. Each plan is designed for customers who wish to use high-quality GreatSchools K-12 school data in their application, with citations and deep links back to GreatSchools.org’s School Profile Pages. Compare the features of each plan here.

Can I use my API key for multiple applications/websites?

Per our Terms of Service, only one API key is permitted per application.

My invoice for the past billing period looks strange, what’s going on?

Your monthly billing period (which starts after the free trial ends) likely does not align with our monthly metering period (how we track the calls being made), which starts on the first of each month. Because of this, it is likely that your billing cycle will overlap with two metering periods. For example, if your billing period starts on the 15th, you’ll have a maximum of 300k calls to use before the 1st of the next month, after which your total will be reset. When you are billed on the 15th of the next month, that invoice will include the calls you made in the previous month and the calls you made up to that point.

How do I report a bug?

To report a bug, please email api-support@greatschools.org with the subject line “NearbySchools API bug report” and share as much detail as possible, including: the email and company name used when signing up for your plan, the request details (e.g. headers, query parameters), response details (e.g. HTTP status code, response body/error message) and the date/time you encountered the issue. The more information you provide, the more efficiently we can investigate and resolve the issue.

What is your refund policy and how do I cancel my subscription?

We do not provide refunds for cancellations. If you would like to cancel your subscription, log in to the Stripe customer portal and click “Cancel plan.”

What if I cancel my subscription during the free trial period?

If you cancel your GreatSchools NearbySchools API subscription during the 14-day free trial period, you will continue to have access to the API until the end of your trial period. You will not be charged any fees and your API key will no longer be valid.

How do I update my payment information?

To manage your payment information, log in to the Stripe customer portal using the email associated with your API account. If you’re not sure which email is associated with your API account, please reach out to api-support@greatschools.org.

How do I update my account information?

To change your account’s contact information (i.e. name or email address), please email api-support@greatschools.org with a subject line that describes your request and include the following details below in the body of your email.

• Email used upon registration:
• Organization name:

Does the NearbySchools API include school assignment boundary data?

The GreatSchools NearbySchools API does not provide school assignment boundary data. However, our team would love to know more about your data needs and goals. Please email sales@greatschools.org with the subject line “Boundary data request” and our team will follow up with you.

I am looking for more robust information including data like the GreatSchools 1-10 Rating or Community Ratings and Reviews. Can I access this data using the NearbySchools API?

Our NearbySchools API is limited to school directory data & our quality rating bands. For access to more robust data, including our proprietary GreatSchools Summary Ratings, Themed Ratings, and Community Ratings & Reviews, please explore our Enterprise Data License program or email our team at sales@greatschoools.org.

I am interested in bulk data. Can I pull bulk files using the NearbySchools API?

The NearbySchools API does not provide K-12 school data in bulk; it will only pull a subset of data based on your specific call. In addition, if you are interested in bulk data files, our Enterprise Data License program offers a bulk feed delivery method and is an excellent solution for your needs.

How do the free trials work?

When you sign up for the NearbySchools API under any plan, a 14-day free trial is included for you to try out the API. You will receive a reminder email 7 days before the trial ends, and once that trial is completed your first monthly billing cycle begins (at the end of which an invoice will be created and the payment method you provided upon registration will be charged). During the free trial period, you are limited to the number of API calls included with your plan. Once the billing cycle begins, your API call count will be reset (i.e. any API calls made during the trial will not be counted towards your monthly total).

Return to our K-12 Data Intelligence page or API sign-up page.