Why Compare Education Data Providers?

Choosing the Right K-12 Data Provider Matters

Selecting an education data provider isn’t just about finding names and email addresses. It’s about ensuring accuracy, reliability, compliance, and the ability to reach the right K-12 decision makers at the right time.

The wrong provider can result in:

• wasted marketing budget
• high bounce rates
• compliance issues
• targeting the wrong people
• stalled campaigns

The guide below outlines exactly what to evaluate — and how MCH consistently leads in each category.

What to Evaluate When Comparing Providers

Key Criteria to Consider

Here are the essential factors that separate strong K-12 data vendors from weak ones:

1. Data Accuracy

How is the data compiled? Verified? How often is it checked?

2. Update Frequency

Schools and educators move constantly. Weekly or regular updates are critical.

3. Coverage

Does the provider include:

• all districts
• charter schools
• private/Catholic schools
• early childhood / preschool
• role-based educators
• specialists and support staff

4. Depth of Information

Beyond basic contact info:

• role
• grade level
• subject taught
• school attributes
• district demographics
• funding/geographic filters

5. Compliance & Data Quality

• Is it compiled professionally and ethically?
• FERPA-aware?
• Is the data deliverable compliant with email platforms?

6. Delivery Options

Can you choose:

• ListBuilder (self-service)
• SFTP
• API
• Azure hosting
• Scheduled files
• One-time pulls

7. Customer Experience & Support

Does the provider offer real, U.S.-based experts who can help you target the right audience?

How MCH Performs Against Key Criteria

How MCH Stacks Up

Accuracy

MCH’s multi-source compilation and verification workflow provides some of the most accurate K-12 data available.

Update Frequency

School and staff movement is tracked continuously, with frequent updates throughout the school year.

Coverage

MCH covers 100% of U.S. school districts plus charter, private, and Catholic schools.

Depth

MCH provides role-based and subject-specific educator data, district attributes, demographics, and much more.

Compliance

MCH uses professionally compiled, FERPA-aware methodologies and meets commercial email deployment standards.

Delivery

Choose ListBuilder, SFTP, API, Azure, or scheduled deliveries.

Support

A U.S.-based support team helps you target accurately and optimize your outreach.

Signs of a Weak Data Provider

Red Flags to Watch Out For:

• Infrequent updates
• Over-reliance on scraping
• No district-level coverage
• No specialist roles
• Limited segmentation options
• No verification process
• No customer support
• Hidden fees or unclear deliverables

Choosing the Right K-12 Data Partner

Evaluating education data providers is an important step in ensuring your marketing, outreach, and engagement efforts reach the right people.

If you're comparing providers, MCH offers unmatched accuracy, continuous updates, deep coverage, and flexible delivery options — supported by a trusted U.S.-based team.