The State Government's website will be launched this month, with the federal version following in January. Information will range from results of national numeracy and literacy tests to school attendance rates.

Victorian Association of State Secondary Principals president Brian Burgess said the state website was reasonably representative of schools, as the information was collated from surveys and tests of students at each school. But he was wary of the Canberra site, which grouped schools by census data, meaning a government school in an affluent area could have students from a housing commission, while a private school in a poorer area could have students travelling in from wealthier suburbs. So a surveyed school could be in a certain socio-economic category, but the backgrounds of children at the school could be different, Mr Burgess said.

"It's a crude measure; I don't think it will compare apples with apples."

One principal from the north-western suburbs, who did not want to be identified, was also unimpressed with the federal website. "There is a huge difference between schools," he said.

He said many of the pupils at his school came from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

"They are learning to speak and read [in English] and they're putting that data up against other schools [of similar socio-economic background]."

Australian Education Union Victorian president Mary Bluett said while the websites would be useful for families, she doubted governments would use the information to provide funding where it was most needed.

"Governments at state and federal levels have had this data for decades. Government knows where the money needs to go. Their failure to do so is the real report card."