Frequently asked questions
How ParentGuider works
Quick answers about our Bay Area school data, parent reviews, special-education advocate program, and how to list a business. Still stuck? Get in touch.
Is ParentGuider free for parents?
Yes — searching schools, saving favorites, comparing programs, and reading parent reviews is free, with no account required.
Where does your school data come from?
Our baseline data is sourced from the California Department of Education (CDE) and refreshed regularly, then enriched with verified parent reviews and editorial detail from our team.
Do you cover private and charter schools too?
Yes. We cover public, private, charter, and magnet schools across all 10 Bay Area counties — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma.
How do I work with a Special Education advocate?
Visit our Special Education page and fill in the short connection form. A trained parent advocate will follow up within one business day to discuss your child's IEP, 504 Plan, or evaluation needs — at no cost to your family.
Can I list my school, tutoring, or childcare business?
Absolutely. Use the 'List your business' tab on our Contact page and our team will follow up with next steps, pricing for premium placement, and what verification documents we need.
How are the parent ratings calculated?
Ratings on each school profile are an average of submitted parent reviews across categories like academics, teachers, communication, and inclusion. Sample reviews shown today are illustrative while we build out our verified review base.
Which Bay Area counties do you cover?
All 10 — Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, and Sonoma — with dedicated landing pages for each.
Do I need an account to save or compare schools?
No. Your saved schools and comparison tray are stored locally in your browser, so you can shortlist and compare without signing up.
How often is the data updated?
We re-sync core school details (address, grade range, district) against the CDE on a regular cadence, and our editorial team updates programs and parent-facing content continuously.
How can I report a correction?
Use the Contact page and select 'Report a correction'. Include the school name and the field that's wrong — we triage corrections within two business days.
Still have a question?
Our small Bay Area team reads every message and usually replies within one business day.