Education.com Web Services

Education.com provides access to some of its data via a webservice API.


  • How to use the webservice API

    1. Acquire an API key. An API key is a unique string of characters that is used by the webservice to authenticate the user of the API. Any use of any webservice method requires an API key. Click here to request an API key.
    2. Execute a webservice API method. The simplest way to execute a method is from a web browser using a URL in this format:

      http://www.education.com/service/service.php?f=schoolSearch&sn=sf&key=602bbfcf3104c2297cac7f1e9c786268&zip=94063

      In this example, the API method schoolSearch is being executed with service name sn = sf (SchoolFinder), and an API key = '602bbfcf3104c2297cac7f1e9c786268' (your API key will be different. Do not use this one). The parameter 'zip' is being passed to the method which causes a search for schools in zipcode '94063' to be executed and the results returned to the caller.

  • Supported request formats

    • REST
    • XML-RPC
    • JSON
    • PHP

  • Supported response formats

    • XML-RPC
    • JSON
    • PHP

  • Usage limits:

    The following limits are placed on clients of the webservice. The limits may vary for each client.
    • Bandwidth: The amount of data that can be transferred from a webservice method is limited to a fixed number of bytes per day.
    • Connections: The number of connections that can be made to the webservice API is limited to a fixed number per day.
    • Time: The length of time that an API key is valid is limited.


SchoolFinder WebService API method reference

the following methods allow access to our database of school information.


schoolSearch

  • Behavior:
    • Returns an array of school profiles that match the search parameters.
  • Parameters:
    • required:
      • sn = sf
      • f = schoolSearch
      • key = (your API key)
    • optional:
      • zip= A five digit US postal code
      • city= The name of a city
      • state= The two letter abbreviation of a state ex: CA
      • address= A street address
      • distance= A distance in miles. ex: 1.5
      • latitude= A latitude which serves as the center for distance searches.
      • longitiude= A longitude which serves as the center for distance searches.
  • Returns: an array of zero or more:
    • schoolname
    • zip
    • city
    • address
    • AYPresult
    • APIScore
    • distance
    • enrollment
    • gradelevel
    • gradesserved
    • latitude
    • longitude
    • phonenumber
    • schooldistrictname
    • schooltype
    • state
    • studentteacherratio
    • website
  • examples
    • Search for school by zipcode:
      (in rest format) 
      http://www.education.com/service/service.php?f=schoolSearch&key=399690df04451777b5fbd7afdcdd8131&zip=96091&sn=sf
      (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)
    • response: (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)

getStudentDiversity

  • Behavior:
    • Returns Gender and ethnicity statistics for a single school.
  • Parameters:
    • sn = sf
    • f=getStudentDiversity
    • key= (your API key)
    • schoolid= The id of the school.
  • Returns: an array
    • gender
    • ethnicity
  • examples
    • Get student diversity information for school 19414 http://www.education.com/service/service.php?f=getStudentDiversity&key=399690df04451777b5fbd7afdcdd8131&schoolid=19414
    • response: (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)

getTestScores

  • Behavior:
    • Returns test score information for a single school
  • Parameters:
    • sn = sf
    • f=getTestScores
    • key= (your API key)
    • schoolid= The id of the school.
  • Returns: an array of zero or more:
    • grade
    • testname
    • subject
    • score
    • year
  • examples
    • Get test score information for school 19414 http://www.education.com/service/service.php?f=getTestScores&key=399690df04451777b5fbd7afdcdd8131&schoolid=19414
    • response: (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)

getTeacherStats

  • Behavior:
    • Returns statistics about teachers for a single school
  • Parameters:
    • sn = sf
    • f
    • key= (your API key)
    • schoolid= The id of the school.
  • Returns: an array of zero or more:
    • stat_type
    • stat_name
    • year
    • value
    • total
  • examples
    • Get teacher statistics for school 19414 http://www.education.com/service/service.php?f=getTeacherStats&key=399690df04451777b5fbd7afdcdd8131&schoolid=19414
    • response: (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)

getReviews

  • Behavior:
    • Returns user reviews and comments for a single school
  • Parameters:
    • sn = sf
    • f=getReviews
    • key= (your API key)
    • schoolid= The id of the school.
  • Returns: an array of one or more:
    • rating
    • count
    • total
    • average
    • review
  • examples
    • Get user ratings and reviews for school 25381 http://www.education.com/service/service.php?f=getReviews&key=399690df04451777b5fbd7afdcdd8131&schoolid=25381
    • response: (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)

WebService Error Responses

If a method fails, it may return any one of the following fault codes along with a fault message:
  • faultCode: 1 faultString: an unknown error ocurred
  • faultCode: 2 faultString: invalid parameters
  • faultCode: 3 faultString: invalid api key
  • faultCode: 4 faultString: invalid hostname
  • faultCode: 5 faultString: usage limits exceeded
  • faultCode: 6 faultString: invalid function
  • faultCode: 7 faultString: api key is disabled
example: (in xmlrpc format) (in json format) (in php format)