AI agents and research assistants
Let a server-side agent retrieve structured school or district records, then show the source and year in its answer. Keys stay in your secure backend, not in a prompt, browser bundle or public repository.
§ Key-gated API access
A school data API
for apps and AI agents.
API access is a paid product. Approved customers receive an individual API key after the use, geography, fields, request volume and license are agreed and paid.
The public site explains the data. The API is for systems that need cited school and district records repeatedly and securely. If you searched for a k12 database, dataset, or spreadsheet of all high schools: file downloads by geography are sold on Pricing; recurring lookups run through this API.
102,176
U.S. school profiles
Key-gated
X-API-Key + metering
JSON
Paginated records
Cited
Source + vintage per field
§ 1 · Who it is for
Use the data without rebuilding the warehouse.
Applications and data products
Search, filter and join school profiles without maintaining federal source files yourself. Product embedding and redistribution are licensed explicitly; a spreadsheet purchase does not grant API or resale rights.
Real-estate and relocation systems
Return government-reported facts with citations and let the user decide. Integrations must not rate schools, describe neighborhoods as desirable, or use school data to steer housing choices.
Researchers, newsrooms and analysts
Query consistent identifiers, profiles and field definitions across geographies. Journalists can still request one-off cited figures; recurring automated access belongs in a licensed API plan.
§ 2 · What you can request
Schools, districts, fields and exports.
The exact fields and endpoints in your license depend on provenance, geography and intended use.
School profiles
122
documented fields per school — identity, location, enrollment, staffing, program, and finance — with null values preserved instead of guessed.
Every field carries source + vintage
District and geography filters
By state56 states + territories
By city or districtnamed lookup
By identifierNCES IDs
Paginationcontrolled retrieval
Filters · v2026.07
Field registry
Definitionplain words
Source agencyattached
Source yearattached
Caveatsattached
Your interface can explain what each value means and when the agency reported it.
Registry · v2026.07
Licensed exports
Large jobs may be delivered as files instead of repeated API calls. The delivery method is fixed in the written scope before payment.
Delivery · agreed in writing
No anonymous production endpoint · no public API key · no promise of real-time agency data.
§ 2b · Endpoints and metering
What a call costs.
Four endpoints, metered in depth units. Full price list below — this page is canonical.
| Call | What it returns | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| GET /v1/schools/lookup | Find a school by name, district, state. Powers typeahead. | 1 unit |
| GET /v1/schools/{slug}/trajectory | Multi-year history with vintages. Answers “is it improving?” | 4 units |
| GET /v1/schools/{slug}/subgroups | Results by student group, incl. 504-plan cuts. Powers equity briefs. | 8 units |
| GET /v1/movers | Schools gaining or slipping per state and level. | 12 units |
Plans
$49/mo
Starter includes 12,000 depth units ($0.004 overage). Growth is $149/mo with 50,000 units ($0.0035 overage).
Enterpriseannual custom
Trial500 units free
Cachingallowed with attribution
Metered in depth units · v2026.07
MCP + rules
4
MCP tools for licensed partners: lookup · trajectory · subgroups · movers. Auth via X-API-Key.
Raw-bulk resalenot licensed
Training-data useenterprise license only
Suppressed valuesstay null, never imputed
Agent tooling · v2026.07
§ 3 · Purchase and access
Four steps from use case to key.
Describe the integration
Tell us who will use it, whether an AI agent is involved, the geography, fields, expected requests and whether results appear in a customer-facing product.
Confirm data and license fit
We check source licensing, Fair Housing constraints, redistribution needs and whether the requested fields are available at the stated vintage.
Approve scope and pay
You receive a written scope and price. API access is not included until payment is complete; custom terms apply to product embedding and high-volume use.
Receive credentials and docs
We issue an individual key, production base URL, allowed endpoints and usage limits. Calls are authenticated and metered. Keys can be revoked if exposed or used outside the license.
§ 4 · FAQ
Paid API access questions.
Can an AI agent use the K12 Atlas API?
Yes. A licensed customer can connect an AI agent or application through a secure server-side integration. API keys must not be placed in public browser code or shared between unlicensed products.
Is API access included with a spreadsheet pack?
No. Download licenses and API access are separate products because API usage, support, redistribution and request volume require a separate scope.
Do you offer a school database spreadsheet download?
Yes, as licensed file packs by geography — see Pricing. Choose a spreadsheet download for one-off analysis and this API for recurring lookups; both carry source and vintage per field.
Can I use the API before paying?
There is no anonymous public data endpoint. The free sample and public aggregate pages show field definitions and source quality; production credentials are issued only after scope approval and payment.
Is K12 Atlas data real time?
No. K12 Atlas integrates published federal and state records. Every field retains a source and vintage so an application can show when the underlying agency reported it.
Tell us what your app or agent needs.
We will confirm the fields, license, delivery method and price before payment. No key is issued through a public form.