diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.module.css b/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.module.css
index 7e667be..9ef51d6 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.module.css
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.module.css
@@ -92,6 +92,19 @@
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(224, 114, 86, 0.15);
 }
 
+.metricSelect optgroup {
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: var(--text-primary, #1a1612);
+  background: var(--bg-secondary, #f3ede4);
+  padding: 0.5rem 0;
+}
+
+.metricSelect option {
+  font-weight: 400;
+  color: var(--text-secondary, #5c564d);
+  padding: 0.375rem 1rem;
+}
+
 /* Schools Section */
 .schoolsSection {
   margin-bottom: 2rem;
diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.tsx b/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.tsx
index c7d9e62..8a31110 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/ComparisonView.tsx
@@ -140,11 +140,46 @@ export function ComparisonView({
           onChange={(e) => handleMetricChange(e.target.value)}
           className={styles.metricSelect}
         >
-          {metrics.map((metric) => (
-            <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>
-              {metric.label}
-            </option>
-          ))}
+          <optgroup label="Expected Standard">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'expected').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="Higher Standard">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'higher').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="Progress Scores">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'progress').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="Average Scores">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'average').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="Gender Performance">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'gender').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="Equity (Disadvantaged)">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'equity').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="School Context">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'context').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
+          <optgroup label="3-Year Trends">
+            {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'trends').map((metric) => (
+              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+            ))}
+          </optgroup>
         </select>
       </section>
 
diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.module.css b/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.module.css
index f3a3ae0..a39f0a1 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.module.css
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.module.css
@@ -72,6 +72,19 @@
   box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px rgba(224, 114, 86, 0.15);
 }
 
+.filterSelect optgroup {
+  font-weight: 700;
+  color: var(--text-primary, #1a1612);
+  background: var(--bg-secondary, #f3ede4);
+  padding: 0.5rem 0;
+}
+
+.filterSelect option {
+  font-weight: 400;
+  color: var(--text-secondary, #5c564d);
+  padding: 0.375rem 1rem;
+}
+
 /* Rankings Section */
 .rankingsSection {
   background: var(--bg-card, white);
diff --git a/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.tsx b/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.tsx
index a8f6b94..12888bd 100644
--- a/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.tsx
+++ b/nextjs-app/components/RankingsView.tsx
@@ -98,11 +98,46 @@ export function RankingsView({
             onChange={(e) => handleMetricChange(e.target.value)}
             className={styles.filterSelect}
           >
-            {metrics.map((metric) => (
-              <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>
-                {metric.label}
-              </option>
-            ))}
+            <optgroup label="Expected Standard">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'expected').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="Higher Standard">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'higher').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="Progress Scores">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'progress').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="Average Scores">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'average').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="Gender Performance">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'gender').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="Equity (Disadvantaged)">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'equity').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="School Context">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'context').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
+            <optgroup label="3-Year Trends">
+              {metrics.filter(m => m.category === 'trends').map((metric) => (
+                <option key={metric.key} value={metric.key}>{metric.label}</option>
+              ))}
+            </optgroup>
           </select>
         </div>