In education, numbers are more than just statistics—they’re the stories of students, teachers, and communities. Yet, many schools struggle to turn these numbers into meaningful action. As a former administrator, I know the challenges of sifting through endless data without a clear direction.

But here’s the thing: when data is used effectively, it can become the compass that guides your district toward success. Whether you’re tackling attendance issues, improving academic outcomes, or engaging families, actionable insights from data can transform how schools operate. Let’s explore how to use data to drive impactful results across key metrics.

Why Data-Driven Decision-Making Matters

Data isn’t just about accountability—it’s about opportunity. When used correctly, it can highlight areas for improvement, showcase successes, and inform decisions that benefit students and staff alike.

For example, attendance data can pinpoint trends in chronic absenteeism, while predictive analytics can help identify at-risk students before challenges escalate. The key is knowing how to leverage this information to align with your district’s goals and make real progress.

Key Metrics to Impact with Data

There’s no shortage of metrics in education, but these stand out as critical areas where data can make the most difference:

1. Attendance and Absenteeism

Chronic absenteeism is a persistent challenge for many schools. By using real-time attendance data, districts can identify patterns and intervene early to help reduce absences. Using metrics like daily attendance rates, unexcused absences, and tardiness can build a clear picture of where support is needed.

2. Student Performance

Data can reveal how academic performance correlates with attendance, behavior, and engagement. By analyzing grades, test scores, and formative assessments, educators can target interventions for struggling students and celebrate growth for those improving.

3. Family Engagement

Strong family engagement leads to better student outcomes. Tracking metrics like parent-teacher communication frequency, attendance and participation at parent events, or engagement with school apps can help districts understand how well they’re connecting with families.

Steps to Use Data Effectively

Step 1: Centralize Your Data

Scattered spreadsheets and isolated systems make it hard to see the full picture. Start by centralizing your data into a unified platform where it can be easily accessed and analyzed.

Step 2: Define Your Goals

What’s the “why” behind your data efforts? Whether it’s improving attendance, boosting test scores, or increasing family engagement, set clear goals that align with your district’s strategic priorities.

Step 3: Use Predictive Analytics

Predictive analytics takes your data to the next level, helping you foresee challenges before they arise. For example, patterns in attendance and behavior can identify students at risk of falling behind or dropping out, allowing for proactive support.

Step 4: Engage Stakeholders

Data isn’t just for administrators. Share insights with teachers, counselors, and families in digestible formats so everyone can act on the information. Transparency and collaboration lead to better outcomes for all.

Step 5: Measure and Refine

Data-driven decision-making is an ongoing process. Regularly review key metrics to assess progress, identify new challenges, and refine strategies as needed. 

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Data Overload

Too much data can be overwhelming. Focus on the metrics that matter most to your goals and use tools to visualize trends in a clear, actionable way.

Resistance to Change

Getting buy-in from teachers and staff can be challenging. Provide training and emphasize how data supports—not replaces—their professional expertise.

Equity Concerns

Ensure that data-driven strategies benefit all students, not just those who are easiest to reach. Regularly audit your processes to check for disparities in access or outcomes.

Real-World Impact: How Data Transforms Schools

Districts that prioritize data see tangible results. From improving attendance rates to tailoring interventions for at-risk students, actionable insights empower educators to make decisions that matter. When every teacher, administrator, and family member has access to the right data at the right time, the impact is exponential.

Take Action Today

The path to improving key metrics starts with a commitment to data-driven decision-making. By centralizing your data, setting clear goals, and engaging stakeholders, your district can achieve meaningful, measurable change.

Curious about how to get started? Explore our webinar on leveraging data in education or schedule a demo to see how data tools can drive results for your district.

In today’s fast-evolving educational landscape, data is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. As educators, we’re always searching for ways to address the diverse needs of students while balancing the demands of compliance, communication, and resource management. But what if we could use the information already at our fingertips to improve outcomes for every student?

This is where SchoolStatus shines. From real-time attendance tracking to identifying at-risk students, our data-driven tools help educators make targeted decisions that drive meaningful results. Let’s explore how schools and districts like yours are leveraging SchoolStatus to turn insights into action.

How Data is Transforming Education

At its core, data allows us to see patterns and trends that would otherwise go unnoticed. Take chronic absenteeism, for example. Research shows that students who miss 10% or more of the school year are far less likely to graduate on time​. But, without real-time tracking and actionable insights, it’s nearly impossible to intervene effectively.

SchoolStatus makes it simple. By integrating attendance records with student performance metrics, administrators and teachers can identify the students who need support before their absenteeism becomes a crisis. For example, a mid-sized district in Mississippi used SchoolStatus to track attendance daily, enabling them to reduce chronic absenteeism by 18% in just one year. 

Key Applications of Data in Schools

1. Attendance Tracking in Real-Time

Accurate attendance tracking is a cornerstone of effective school management, yet it often presents significant challenges. Real-time access to attendance data enables educators and administrators to identify trends, address absenteeism concerns, and implement targeted interventions. This data-driven approach ensures that attendance issues are addressed promptly, fostering better student engagement and reducing the long-term impact of chronic absenteeism.

2. Identifying and Supporting At-Risk Students

Ensuring no student falls through the cracks requires a comprehensive understanding of individual needs. By analyzing data such as attendance, academic performance, and behavioral trends, schools can gain a holistic view of their students. This allows for the early identification of those who may require additional support and enables educators to coordinate interventions, communicate effectively with families, and connect students with resources tailored to their needs.

3. Enhancing Teacher Development

Teacher development is a critical component of student success. Data insights can provide clarity on areas where additional professional development might be most beneficial. By aligning training programs with measurable outcomes, schools can ensure that teachers are supported in their growth, ultimately creating a more effective and collaborative learning environment.

Steps to Implement a Data-Driven Strategy

Step 1: Evaluate Existing Systems

Begin by assessing your current data collection and management processes. Identify what systems are already in place and determine if they are integrated, accessible, and effective. This step helps pinpoint gaps or inefficiencies and sets the stage for improvement.

Step 2: Centralize Your Data

Consolidate all your data—attendance, grades, behavior, and communication records—into a unified system. Centralized data ensures that educators and administrators have a comprehensive view of each student, streamlining decision-making and intervention efforts.

Step 3: Train Your Team

No system—no matter how advanced—can function effectively without proper training. Equip teachers and administrators with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the system and extract actionable insights. Ongoing support and professional development can help sustain these efforts.

Step 4: Engage Families

Families play an essential role in student success, and data can bridge the communication gap. Use insights to send timely, relevant updates to parents and guardians, fostering stronger relationships and encouraging active involvement. Multilingual communication options can ensure inclusivity and broaden outreach efforts.

Overcoming Challenges with Data

Adopting a data-driven approach comes with challenges such as privacy concerns, resistance to technology, and ensuring equitable access. Address these by prioritizing data security and compliance, providing adequate training, and focusing resources on areas with the greatest need. Schools that emphasize equity in their data practices can foster greater community trust and engagement.

Turning Insights into Action

Data isn’t just numbers on a screen—it’s the story of your students, your teachers, and your community. By leveraging platforms like SchoolStatus, districts can transform these stories into actionable strategies that improve outcomes for everyone. Whether it’s reducing chronic absenteeism, supporting at-risk students, or empowering teachers, the potential is limitless. Ready to see what data can do for your school? Join our upcoming webinar on using analytics to drive student success or schedule a demo with SchoolStatus today. Together, let’s unlock the power of data.                                                                  

Effective communication is the foundation of a successful school community. Whether it’s updating parents about their child’s progress, coordinating with staff, or sharing important announcements, having a strong communication strategy is critical. But how can you tell if your current approach is falling short?

Here are five key signs that your school might need to rethink its communication strategy. From improving parent-teacher interactions to adopting modern engagement tools, these actionable insights will help you strengthen your school’s connection with families, staff, and the wider community.

1. Low Parent Engagement

If parents are disengaged or uninformed, it may indicate that your communication tools aren’t reaching them effectively. Common symptoms include:

• Poor attendance at parent-teacher conferences
• Limited responses to school surveys or forms
• Parents expressing frustration about lack of timely updates

Solution: Adopt modern engagement tools like SchoolStatus to send personalized, real-time updates. Features like multilingual messaging and mobile app notifications can ensure parents receive and understand important information.

2. Overwhelmed Staff Managing Multiple Platforms

Juggling several platforms for emails, texts, social media, and newsletters can overwhelm teachers and administrators, leading to inconsistent messaging and missed updates.

Solution: A centralized communication platform streamlines workflows by consolidating all channels into one system. This ensures consistency while saving staff time and effort.

3. Frequent Communication Breakdowns

Do parents, staff, or students often complain about receiving mixed messages or no messages at all? This can indicate gaps in your strategy, such as:

• Inconsistent messaging between departments
• Delays in sharing critical updates
• Lack of a clear communication hierarchy

Solution: Establish a clear communication plan with defined roles, responsibilities, and protocols. Use tools that provide real-time updates and scheduling features to ensure timely and consistent communication.

As the school year progresses, many districts face a familiar challenge: declining student attendance. Mid-year lulls can significantly impact student performance, engagement, and overall district success. For administrators, this is the perfect time for an attendance reset, leveraging data-driven strategies to reconnect with students and families.

In this post, we’ll explore why attendance matters, how to use data effectively, and actionable steps to foster a culture of consistent engagement.

Why Attendance is Crucial

Regular attendance is more than a metric—it’s a lifeline for student success. When students attend school consistently, they not only perform better academically but also build habits that set them up for lifelong achievement. Missing just two days a month can lead to chronic absenteeism, putting students at risk of falling behind in reading, math, and other foundational skills.

The White House Council of Economic Advisors reports that post-pandemic chronic absenteeism has surged from 15% to 30%, widening achievement gaps and increasing dropout risks. Students who miss school frequently are more likely to face challenges such as limited employment opportunities, poorer health, and involvement in the criminal justice system later in life.

Conversely, consistent attendance unlocks opportunities for growth, engagement, and success. Students gain knowledge, social skills, and the resilience needed to thrive. For district leaders, fostering regular attendance is a powerful strategy to boost student outcomes and build stronger school communities.

Step 1: Analyze Attendance Data

Understanding the root causes of absenteeism starts with data. Use your district’s data dashboard to identify key trends:

• Who: Which students are missing the most days?
• When: Are absences increasing during specific periods?
• Why: What reasons are families providing?

Modern platforms like SchoolStatus enable districts to monitor attendance trends at macro and micro levels, turning data into actionable insights.

Step 2: Segment Your Outreach

Not all families experience absenteeism the same way. Tailor your communication to address specific needs:

• High Absence Rates: Offer personalized interventions, such as transportation assistance or flexible scheduling.
• Moderate Absence Rates: Provide positive reinforcement and attendance strategies to families nearing risk.
• Good Attendance: Celebrate and encourage families with strong attendance records to maintain momentum.

SchoolStatus communication tools make it simple to send customized messages via email, SMS, or app notifications, ensuring families receive relevant and actionable support.

Step 3: Engage Families Proactively

Family engagement is key to improving attendance. Foster collaboration by:

• Transparent Communication: Use Smore (also included in the SchoolStatus Connect platform) to create newsletters with attendance data, tips, and expectations.
• Parent Workshops: Educate families on the importance of attendance and strategies for overcoming barriers.
• Feedback Channels: Offer surveys or forums to capture parent concerns and involve them in solutions.

Step 4: Implement School-Wide Incentives

Incentives can motivate students and families to prioritize attendance. Ideas include:

• Classroom Challenges: Recognize classes with the best attendance records.
• Individual Rewards: Highlight students with strong attendance in newsletters or assemblies.
• Community Partnerships: Partner with businesses to offer perks like discounts or gift cards to families maintaining good attendance.

Step 5: Monitor and Adjust

Attendance interventions must be dynamic. Use your data tools to measure the impact of your efforts regularly. Ask:

• Are chronically absent students showing improvement?
• Which interventions resonate most with families?
• What feedback are families and teachers providing?

Platforms like SchoolStatus allow educators to track progress in real time, making it easier to adapt strategies.

The Reason to Reset

A mid-year attendance reset is an opportunity to reconnect with students, empower families, and build momentum for the rest of the school year. By combining data analysis with targeted outreach and proactive engagement, districts can foster a culture of consistency and collaboration.

Ready to reimagine your attendance strategy? Schedule a demo with SchoolStatus today and discover how data-driven tools can make attendance improvement effortless and impactful. Let’s work together to ensure every student is present and prepared to succeed!

Attendance is more than just a daily count of who is present in the classroom—it’s a critical indicator of student success. Trends in 2024 revealed the deep-seated challenges schools face with chronic absenteeism, hybrid learning, and family disengagement. These issues call for innovative strategies as districts prepare for 2025.

Here’s a blend of analysis and actionable steps to help schools address attendance challenges. From leveraging real-time tracking tools to fostering family partnerships, we’ll walk you through how K-12 educators and administrators can create data-driven, equitable solutions to improve attendance.

Chronic Absenteeism: A Persistent Problem

Chronic absenteeism—defined as missing 10% or more of the school year—remained a significant hurdle in 2024, with some districts reporting rates as high as 30%. Major factors included:

• Socioeconomic barriers: Transportation, housing instability, and food insecurity.
• Mental health struggles: Anxiety and depression exacerbated by academic pressures and lingering pandemic effects.
• Disengagement: A lack of connection to the school environment and curriculum.

What Can Schools Do in 2025?

1. Use Early-Warning Systems: Attendance tracking platforms like SchoolStatus offer predictive analytics to flag at-risk students before absenteeism worsens.
2. Implement Support Programs: Address barriers with initiatives such as mentoring, tutoring, and access to school resources like meals or counseling.
3. Focus on Equity: Tailor interventions to meet the specific needs of underserved communities.

The Move Toward Real-Time Attendance Tracking

In 2024, schools increasingly turned to real-time attendance systems to improve efficiency and responsiveness. These tools enable instant data collection, allowing educators to monitor attendance patterns and intervene immediately when issues arise.

Why Real-Time Tracking Matters

• Schools using digital tracking systems reduced reporting delays by 20%, leading to faster communication with families​.
• Real-time data integration with communication platforms allows schools to notify parents instantly about absences and address issues proactively.

Steps to Take in 2025

1. Adopt Mobile-Friendly Tools: Teachers and administrators can log attendance directly from their devices, making the process seamless.
2. Integrate with Communication Platforms: Connect attendance systems with messaging tools to automate alerts for parents.
3. Train Staff: Ensure that educators understand how to use these tools effectively to maximize impact.

In the dynamic world of education, schools constantly seek innovative ways to enhance their programs, resources, and facilities. One powerful tool at their disposal is effective communication. As a former school administrator and teacher, I have witnessed firsthand how strategic communication can not only engage the school community but also kickstart and sustain successful fundraising campaigns. Here are several ways that schools can leverage communication to boost their fundraising efforts:

1. Building Trust and Transparency

Trust is the foundation of any successful fundraising effort. When parents, students, and community members understand how funds will be used, they are more likely to contribute. Regular updates through newsletters, social media, and meetings help build this trust. Providing detailed reports on previous fundraisers and how the money was utilized can further enhance transparency and encourage future donations. For more insights on building trust, check out our blog on Three Strategies for Proactive Family Outreach.

2. Engaging Storytelling

People are more likely to donate when they feel emotionally connected to the cause. Share compelling stories about how past donations have positively impacted students and the school community. Highlight individual success stories, improvements in school facilities, and enhancements in educational programs. These narratives can be shared through various channels, including social media, school websites, newsletters and during school events. 

3. Utilizing Multiple Channels

Effective communication in fundraising is about reaching people where they are. Utilize a mix of traditional and digital channels to maximize reach. This includes emails, text messages, social media posts, and printed flyers. Each channel can be tailored to target different segments of the school community, ensuring a wider and more effective reach. 

4. Personalized Communication

Generic messages can often be overlooked. Personalizing communication makes donors feel valued and appreciated. Addressing parents by their names and acknowledging their past contributions in letters or emails can make a significant difference. Personalized thank-you notes after donations also help in building a lasting relationship with donors. 

5. Clear Call-to-Actions

A successful fundraising campaign requires clear and compelling call-to-actions (CTAs). Whether it’s through a social media post, an email, or a speech at a school event, clearly explain how people can contribute and the impact of their donations. Providing easy-to-follow instructions and multiple ways to donate (online platforms, checks, cash) can also facilitate the donation process. 

6. Leveraging Student Involvement

Students can be powerful advocates for fundraising efforts. Encourage students to participate in fundraising campaigns by sharing their experiences and the benefits they have received from previous donations. Student-led initiatives and peer-to-peer fundraising can also be very effective. When students are involved, it not only enhances the authenticity of the message but also encourages parents and community members to contribute. 

7. Showcasing Progress and Results

Regularly updating the community on the progress of fundraising goals and the results achieved can maintain momentum. Share milestones reached and celebrate successes publicly. This continuous engagement keeps the community motivated and invested in the ongoing success of the fundraising efforts. 

8. Hosting Fundraising Events

Events provide an excellent opportunity for direct engagement and fundraising. School fairs, talent shows, and sports events can be designed to include fundraising activities. Promote these events through all communication channels and ensure there is a clear fundraising goal associated with each event. For Education fundraising without a fee, check out this podcast.  

Conclusion

Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful fundraising. By building trust, engaging the community through compelling stories, utilizing multiple channels, and showcasing progress, schools can significantly enhance their fundraising efforts. As educators and administrators, it is our responsibility to ensure that our communication strategies are not only informative but also inspire action and foster a strong sense of community support. For more tips on improving school communication, visit the SchoolStatus blog.

Tackling Absenteeism with Digital Communication

In today’s educational landscape, maintaining consistent student attendance is more critical than ever. 

SchoolStatus Attend is built on proven practices of mailed interventions for at-risk students using positive messaging. While partner districts are seeing incredible results from their mailed campaigns, many have asked for more options for digital attendance education and interventions. To meet this request, we’re excited to introduce our new groundbreaking Digital Engagement Campaign—a targeted approach to reducing absenteeism through strategic and trackable, supportive emails and text messages!

How the Campaign Works

The Digital Engagement Campaign program focuses on two key strategies:

1. Attendance Education: Automated SMS and email nudges are sent to families of students who are at-risk of becoming chronically absent based on attendance data trends. For K-3 students, where attendance education is critical, nudges and newsletters start after as few as two absences. Our personalized digital school-home communications provide grade-specific guidance and educate families on the importance of regular attendance—before students are chronically absent.
2. Celebration of Success: We don’t just address challenges—we celebrate achievements! Families of students who have shown an improvement in their attendance and students who have maintained an exceptional attendance rate receive positive messages, reinforcing the value of consistent school attendance.

Why Positive Messaging Matters

SchoolStatus Attend has shown that too often attendance interventions can feel punitive. Our approach across our campaigns flips the script by:

• Providing supportive, constructive communication
• Reaching families through convenient methods
• Specialized attendance education messaging for Grades K-3
• Personalizing messaging based on a student’s individual attendance
• Creating a culture of positive reinforcement

Impact and Potential

By combining our existing proven methods with more digital delivery options, we’re not just tracking attendance, we’re helping districts provide holistic interventions, develop actionable insights, and build communities that value education, family engagement, and student success.

Book a demo to learn how SchoolStatus Attend can help your district.

It’s that time of year—the start of the holiday season. It’s a compressed time of celebrations, religious observances, shopping, entertaining, travel, and overeating. You have your lists; you’re checking them twice, right?

Now, let’s add another task to your holiday to-do list: connecting with your families, students, staff, and the entire school community. While your students and colleagues may be getting ready for the holiday break, it’s important not to shut down your school communications. Instead, take advantage of this time to share information and strengthen relationships. With the help of your school community, you can share helpful tips, fun news, and entertaining photos and videos that will contribute to the success of your school.

To help you get started, I’ve gathered a few fantastic ideas to consider this month.

Show Appreciation for Key School Personnel

Every corner of your school is filled with individuals who deserve special recognition. From the first grade teacher who has taught multiple generations of families to the slightly eccentric science teacher who knows how to make science not just fun, but a potential career path. And let’s not forget about the custodial staff and support professionals who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make your school great.

As the year comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to acknowledge and appreciate the “gifts” that these individuals bring to your school. But it’s not enough to simply recognize them individually. Take advantage of various communication platforms such as school assemblies, PTO meetings, morning announcements, newsletters, the school website, and social media to spread the word about their contributions. Use the holiday season as an opportunity to show your students, colleagues, parents, and the entire school community how much you appreciate them.

Use Multicultural Holidays to Celebrate Your School

The holiday season is a perfect time for schools to embrace multicultural celebrations and foster unity within the entire school community. While it’s important to respect the separation of church and state, it’s also important to acknowledge and recognize diverse cultures and religions as a unifying gesture that promotes tolerance and understanding.

In addition to the traditional holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, it’s important to acknowledge other significant holidays such as Mawlid and Las Posadas, a significant celebration in Spanish-speaking communities.

In some school districts, like one in Arizona, Las Posadas is celebrated with a community-wide event that not only unites the community but also collects food for local food pantries. By embracing and acknowledging these diverse holidays, schools can create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all students, staff, and parents. It’s an opportunity to spread holiday cheer and promote understanding among different cultures and religions.

Chances are your school includes families and students who observe these events. If you want your school communications to be more multicultural, don’t overlook the holidays as a great time to demonstrate that.

The Holiday Shopping Mindset

Take advantage of the holiday season to tap into the generosity of your parents and staff. Host a Holiday bazaar or Christmas fair to provide an opportunity for parents to find unique gifts while fostering a sense of unity and joy within your school community. Don’t forget to involve your PTO to add an extra touch of excitement. Consider combining the fair with a holiday party, where parents can enjoy some festive punch and cookies, creating lasting connections that extend beyond the holiday season.

Check this list twice for holiday-themed fundraising ideas for your school

Think Outside the (Mail)box

Don’t miss out on the classic holiday tradition of sending greeting cards. However, there’s no need to burden the U.S. Postal Service when you can use email instead.

Email remains the most effective way to reach your parents, making it a great option for sending personalized holiday wishes. A simple holiday email greeting from the superintendent or principal, or even a practical message from a teacher, can go a long way in engaging your parents.

Remember to include a link in your email that directs the reader to more content, such as a page on your school website or an invitation to a holiday event. For more tips read our blog article, 10 Steps to Creating School Emails that Reach Parents

Socialize During the Holidays

Keep the spirit of the holiday season alive on your social media platforms just like your favorite Christmas sweater. Make sure to maintain an active presence on Facebook throughout the month and utilize your school’s Instagram account to stay connected through captivating pictures. Don’t forget to maximize the potential of these channels even during the holiday break by sending out reminders about exciting holiday plays and school activities.

It’s also important to keep your school website active during the holidays to provide parents with up-to-date information for their return to school planning.

You can also get some ideas from Andrea Gribble at SocialSchool4edu. She has several ways to ramp up your social media presence.

The holiday season is a time for joy and laughter, allowing us to embrace fun and lightheartedness that may not be as prevalent during the rest of the year. Do you have any ideas to share on how to make the most of this festive season and effectively connect with your parents, students, staff, and community?

Family engagement is not just beneficial—it’s essential for student success. From elementary to high school, keeping families involved requires a strategic, evolving approach. Below, we share how to establish and nurture good engagement habits throughout the K-12 journey, focusing on easy-to-adopt tools and effective communication strategies.

The Foundation: Easy-to-Adopt Tools and Good Communication

Before diving into grade-specific strategies, let’s establish the core principles that should guide your family engagement efforts:

1. User-Friendly Platforms: Implement communication tools that are intuitive for both staff and families. The easier the tool is to use, the more likely it is to be adopted.
2. Consistent Onboarding: Develop a robust onboarding process for new families at each grade level. This sets expectations and teaches families how to engage effectively from day one.
3. Multi-Channel Approach: Utilize a mix of communication channels (e.g., text, email, apps) to reach families where they are most comfortable.
4. Personalization: Use data to tailor communications to individual student needs and family circumstances.
5. 1:1 Communication: Prioritize personal interactions to build stronger relationships between educators and families.

Nurturing Engagement Habits Across Grade Levels

Elementary School: Building Strong Foundations

Early attendance patterns can predict chronic absence for the entire year. Moreover, by third grade, children who struggle with reading are four times more likely to drop out of high school. These facts underscore the critical nature of family engagement in elementary years.

Strategies:

1. Welcoming Onboarding: Create a comprehensive “Welcome to School” packet that emphasizes the importance of attendance and family involvement. Include guides on using school-provided communication tools.
2. Daily Check-ins: Implement a system for teachers to greet each student by name daily and share a positive note with families weekly.
3. Interactive Reading Logs: Use a digital platform where families can log reading time and teachers can provide personalized feedback. For newcomer families, encourage and recognize reading aloud in their home language, highlighting the literacy benefits of this practice.
4. Attendance Celebrations: Recognize good attendance through programs like “Punctual Pete” (a mascot that visits punctual classrooms) or “Club 96ers” (special recognition for students maintaining 96% attendance).
5. Family Literacy Nights: Host inclusive events where families learn strategies to support reading at home, fostering a community of engaged learners. Provide materials and guidance in multiple languages to support diverse families.

Key Tip: Consistently communicate the long-term impact of early engagement habits. Help families understand how their involvement now shapes their child’s entire academic journey.

Middle School: Navigating the Transition

The transition to middle school can lead to decreased family involvement and increased risk of student disengagement.

Strategies:

1. Transition Onboarding: Create a “Middle School 101” video series to help families understand new expectations and how to stay involved.
2. Student-Led Conferences: Train students to lead family-teacher conferences, fostering responsibility and communication skills.
3. Family-Teacher Texting Platform: Implement a secure communication platform for quick, direct messaging between families and teachers.
4. Peer Mentoring Program: Pair new students with older peers, providing an additional support system and communication channel.
5. Interest-Based Family Engagement: Offer diverse volunteer opportunities aligned with families’ skills and interests, making involvement more appealing.

Key Tip: Emphasize that while the nature of involvement changes, family engagement remains crucial for student success in middle school.

High School: Amplifying Student Voice and Combating Chronic Absenteeism

High school often sees higher levels of chronic absenteeism, necessitating a renewed focus on family engagement despite students’ increasing independence.

Strategies:

1. Data-Driven Engagement: Use attendance and performance data to trigger personalized outreach to families, addressing issues proactively. Involve students in these conversations to promote ownership of their education.
2. Student Success Teams: Form teams including teachers, counselors, families, and the student for those at risk of chronic absenteeism. Regular check-ins can be facilitated through video calls or in-person meetings, with students leading the discussion of their progress and goals.
3. Career and College Readiness Updates: Send regular, personalized updates on students’ progress towards graduation and post-secondary goals, highlighting the impact of attendance on these goals. Encourage students to contribute to these updates, sharing their perspectives and aspirations.
4. Student Influencer Program: Empower students with excellent attendance records to manage the school’s social media accounts. This program gives students a voice in school communications while promoting positive attendance habits.
5. Flexible Family-Teacher Conferences: Offer virtual or off-hours conference options to accommodate working families’ schedules. Allow students to lead these conferences, presenting their work and discussing their progress.

Key Tip: Frame communication around students’ future success, helping families and students understand the long-term consequences of engagement and attendance decisions made in high school. Consistently provide opportunities for students to voice their opinions and take leadership roles in school-family communication.

Enhancing Belonging Through Communication

Across all grade levels, focus on these strategies to create a sense of belonging:

1. Name Recognition: Train all staff to greet students by name. This simple act significantly boosts students’ sense of belonging.
2. Personalized Achievements: Use your communication platform to send personalized messages celebrating individual student achievements, no matter how small.
3. Cultural Responsiveness: Ensure communications are available in families’ preferred languages and respect cultural differences. Celebrate the diversity of your school community in your communications.
4. Student Spotlight Series: Regularly feature student stories and achievements across your communication channels. Let students take the lead in creating and sharing these spotlights.
5. Community Building Events: Host events that bring families, students, and staff together in informal settings to build relationships. Involve students in planning and running these events.

A Holistic Approach to Family Engagement

Effective family engagement is an ongoing process that should evolve as students progress through their academic journey. By focusing on easy-to-adopt tools, consistent communication, and strategies that enhance belonging and amplify student voices, schools can create a supportive environment that fosters student success at every level.

Remember, the goal is to create a partnership between schools and families that lasts from ABCs to SATs and beyond. With the right tools and strategies, you can build a community of engaged families that supports student achievement every step of the way.Are you ready to transform family engagement in your district? Explore how SchoolStatus can help you implement these strategies and more, creating a seamless communication experience that grows with your students from elementary to high school.

As the school year begins, educators face a crucial task: establishing consistent routines that set the stage for student success. Although the start of the year is perfect for establishing routines, it’s important to remember that you can introduce positive changes at any time—even on November 13. There’s never a wrong time to implement classroom routines. Equally important is for teachers to develop their own routine of consistent family communication—a practice as vital to student achievement as classroom instruction itself.

Consistent communication not only sets the tone for the year but also creates a supportive ecosystem where students can thrive. By bridging the gap between school and home, we create a unified front that reinforces learning and behavioral expectations. 

Below, we explore some innovative approaches using family messaging, digital backpacks, and newsletters to create and maintain robust routines that benefit both students and educators.

Leveraging Family Messaging for Micro-Routines

Family messaging tools, like those offered by SchoolStatus Connect, can be used to establish what we call “micro-routines.” These are small, daily touchpoints that create a sense of consistency and connection. For instance:

• Morning Motivation: Send a brief, inspiring quote or thought for the day. This sets a positive tone and creates a shared starting point for students and families.
• End-of-Day Reflection: Prompt students to share one thing they learned or are proud of. This encourages self-reflection and provides families with conversation starters.

By keeping these messages concise and consistent, you’re not only communicating but also modeling effective routine-building.

Reimagining the Digital Backpack

Digital backpacks are more than just repositories for homework assignments. They can be powerful tools for establishing routines when used creatively:

• Weekly Skill Focus: Dedicate a section of your digital backpack to a “Skill of the Week.” This could be an academic skill, a study habit, or a social-emotional learning concept. Provide resources and activities related to this skill throughout the week.
• Routine Checklists: Create interactive checklists for different routines (morning preparation, after-school review, weekend catch-up). Students can track their progress, fostering a sense of accountability and accomplishment.

Newsletters: Beyond the Bulletin

Newsletters don’t have to be dry recitations of upcoming events. Transform them into tools that actively support routine-building:

• Routine Spotlight: In each newsletter, highlight a student or family who has successfully established a positive routine. Share their strategies and the impact it’s had on their learning and well-being.
• Community Challenge: Introduce a monthly routine-building challenge for families. This could be anything from establishing a consistent reading time to implementing a device-free dinner hour. Use subsequent newsletters to share success stories and tips.

By employing these strategies using SchoolStatus tools, educators can create a rich tapestry of communication that supports and reinforces routines. Remember, the goal isn’t just to inform, but to inspire and engage. 

With consistent, thoughtful communication, we can build routines that stick and make a lasting impact on our students’ lives.

Effective family engagement is crucial for student success. When families are involved, it improves academic performance, strengthens school communities, and fosters student confidence. According to research, students with engaged families tend to perform better academically, demonstrate positive behavior, and feel more supported.

However, with today’s busy, tech-driven world, many schools face challenges in keeping families engaged. Here are seven actionable strategies to foster stronger school-family connections, tailored for today’s communication landscape.

Why Family Engagement Matters

Family engagement is one of the strongest predictors of student success. Engaged families contribute to better outcomes, such as:

• Improved academic performance
• Increased homework completion
• Higher self-esteem and social skills
• Better cultural understanding between home and school
• Higher graduation rates and lower special education placements

The digital age has introduced many tools to bridge the gap between schools and families. Here’s how you can leverage these tools, alongside traditional methods, to increase family involvement:

1. Use Video Tutorials for Parent Support

Posting video tutorials on your school’s website can help parents support their child’s learning. Videos can cover homework tips, study techniques, or walk families through school processes. This is an accessible way to equip families with the tools to assist their children at home.

Tip: Embed videos directly on your school’s website or share them via social media to increase visibility.

2. Keep an Updated Online Calendar

Outdated information often makes families feel out of the loop. Ensure your school website features a current calendar of events, synchronized with your school’s app and social media channels. This keeps families informed and reduces the need to search for updates.

Check out our School Communications Planning Guide to streamline your communication.

3. Engage Families on Social Media

With many families active on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, social media offers a direct way to connect. Use these channels to share news, celebrate achievements, and remind families of upcoming events. Link posts back to your school’s website or app for more information, and consider establishing a clear social media policy for consistency.

4. Schedule In-Person Meetings

Face-to-face meetings build trust and allow for more meaningful exchanges. Regular parent-teacher conferences, open houses, or even home visits foster connections and demonstrate a shared commitment to student success.

5. Host Family-Centered Events

Organize casual events like family nights or open houses. These allow families to see the school environment and engage in relaxed conversations, encouraging deeper involvement without the pressure of formal meetings.

6. Offer Flexible Volunteer Opportunities

Flexible volunteer options empower families to participate in ways that work with their schedules. From event assistance to joining the parent advisory council, providing a range of opportunities makes it easier for families to contribute.

7. Utilize a School Mobile App

In today’s mobile-first world, a school app is essential. Ensure your app integrates with your website, calendar, and other communication tools. A user-friendly app with real-time updates keeps families engaged and informed on-the-go.

Explore the benefits of our school mobile app for seamless communication.

Your Communication Hub

A well-maintained website serves as the central hub for family engagement, offering calendars, blogs, volunteer sign-ups, and video resources. When paired with a school app and active social media presence, this approach ensures all families stay informed and connected.

For more resources on boosting family engagement, check out our School Communications Planning Guide.

Start building a stronger school community today with these practical strategies!

Evidence shows that families want positive news about their children’s schooling. Positive, encouraging messages are key to fostering family engagement, which in turn boosts student attendance and performance. Frequent, yet unobtrusive, communications can keep families up to speed —and excited— with classroom activities.

This blog explores five strategies to keep families engaged at the classroom level.

1. Send a Meet-the-Teacher Message at the Start of the School Year

First impressions matter. Sending a friendly, introductory message at the start of the school year sets a positive tone for communication with families. Teachers can use this opportunity to introduce themselves, share how to get in contact, and outline expectations for the year.

• Why it works: It establishes a direct line of communication from the get-go and helps build trust.
• Pro tip: Use SchoolStatus Connect to send personalized messages via SMS, email, or phone calls in the family’s preferred language.

2. Share Updates on School Activities and Assignments in the Classroom Feed

Keep families in the loop by regularly updating the Classroom Feed with information about upcoming activities, assignments, and classroom news. This keeps families informed and makes them feel like part of the learning process, and prevents miscommunication headaches.

• Why it works: Regular updates keep families engaged and aware of what’s happening in the classroom, making it easier for them to know how to support their children.
• Pro tip: Use SchoolStatus Connect Classroom Feed for seamless updates that can be easily accessed by all families.

3. Create a Class Newsletter with Smore

A monthly or bi-weekly class newsletter can be a great way to summarize recent activities and inform families about upcoming events. Tools like Smore make it easy to create visually appealing newsletters that families will look forward to reading.

• Why it works: Newsletters provide a comprehensive overview of classroom happenings and can include photos, student highlights, and important dates.
• Pro tip: Include interactive elements like links to digital sign-up forms to make the newsletter more engaging. Smore newsletters make it easy to add interactive elements to your newsletter.

4. Make Volunteering Sign-Ups Easy with Digital Forms through Forms & Flows

Encourage family involvement by simplifying the process for signing up for volunteer opportunities. Piles of paper sign-up forms can take up time and and attention. Automating reminders and confirmations ensures volunteers are informed and ready for their roles.

• Why it works: Simplified sign-ups remove barriers to participation, increasing the likelihood of family involvement in classroom activities.
• Pro tip: Digital forms can simplify school tasks beyond permission slips. Use SchoolStatus Forms & Flows to streamline processes like equipment and facility requests.

5. Stay Connected with One-to-One Conversations

Sometimes, direct outreach is the most effective way to engage families. Regular one-to-one conversations can address specific concerns, celebrate student achievements, and build a strong partnership between educators and families.

• Why it works: Personalized interactions show families that you care about their child’s success and are willing to invest time in their education.
• Pro tip: Use SchoolStatus to keep a digital log of all communications. This ensures consistency and allows you to reference past conversations as needed.

Build Connections Around Your Classrooms

Engaging families in the classroom is essential for student success. These five strategies can help you build a strong connection with families, making them active participants in their child’s education. With tools like SchoolStatus, you can create a school environment where communication is seamless, efficient, and impactful.

Ready to take your family engagement to the next level? Book a call with one of our SchoolStatus experts today to learn more about how our platform can support your classroom communication goals.

Published August 29, 2024 on District Administration.

As schools nationwide grapple with the reverberating impacts of the pandemic, a powerful truth has emerged: Strong family engagement is one of the most potent tools for boosting student attendance and achievement.

The data is striking. Schools with robust family engagement before COVID-19 had chronic absenteeism rates 6 percentage points lower than comparable schools struggling to connect with families. That’s the difference between sky-high absences and most students consistently showing up, ready to learn.

The impact doesn’t stop at attendance. These engaged schools saw significantly higher 2021-2022 math and reading scores, gains on par with replacing over half of the previous year’s remote learning with in-person instruction. Simply adding more in-person days alone didn’t correlate to better attendance or test participation.

This illuminates an under-appreciated reality: When treating families as genuine partners, the payoffs transcend attendance. Students show up more engaged and absorb more.

The family engagement advantage revealed itself across all school types—those serving both affluent and low-income communities, elementary and high schools, urban and rural settings. An upfront investment in trusting relationships pays dividends.

Involving Families in Student Attendance

What does building effective family engagement look like? Evidence points to eight core strategies:

1. Prioritize accurate attendance tracking and regularly review data to identify at-risk students early.
2. Foster an attendance-focused culture by embedding it into all communications, policies and celebrations.
3.  Provide proactive, engaging messaging spelling out attendance priorities in families’ home languages.
4. Quickly initiate personalized interventions like calls, texts and meetings at the first sign of absences.
5. For severe cases, coordinate intensive case management and wraparound services.
6. Establish clear attendance teams, roles and accountabilities for executing strategies.
7. Implement positive reinforcement systems such as rewards, recognition and attendance competitions.
8. Continually track metrics, analyze trends and adapt approaches based on results.

A national survey illuminated a crucial gap in how schools communicate the importance of attendance to families. While schools are putting in efforts, nearly half (45%) of families reported only receiving messaging about attendance after their child had already missed school. This finding represents a pivotal missed opportunity for earlier intervention.

The data reveals families want more proactive and personalized guidance: 53% want to know how missing school specifically impacts their child’s academic performance and half seek information on the effects of tardiness. Furthermore, only 40% currently receive regular communications on concrete steps they can take to support better attendance.

Read the full article on District Administration.

During back-to-school season, everyone in a school community has a lot to learn. Students learn their class schedules and expectations, teachers learn their students’ names, and families learn about how they’ll interact with their child’s school and education. That often means a new technology or platform that they’re not familiar with, but will need to use for critical updates on their child’s education. 

One of the best ways to welcome families on board to a new technology can be a family information night. By welcoming families into school for an evening, school leaders can help answer questions, offer suggestions, and give more context on how schools serve students and their families. And educating families about the tools and systems that the district uses can help them get more engaged with school and with their child’s education.

In this blog post, we’ll share some ideas and tips for a great family information night that helps your school community become more informed and connected. 

Spread the Word About Your Event

In order to hold an effective family information night, you need people to show up. That can be a challenge if you’re only sending an email blast to announce your event. You need a way to spread the word and get people to attend. 

You’ll need to establish a physical location for the event, set start and finish times, and offer resources around the event. And once you’ve got everyone together, you can introduce the tools and resources that families need to know about.

SchoolStatus Connect makes it easy to invite your class, school, or entire district to an event.  Everything from outreach to event details can be created and deployed within the platform. The event can flag requests for volunteers or donation items to help parents and guardians know how they can get involved and support their child’s school.  These invitations are shared with families to their central feeds, so they are notified of the event and can easily respond. And invitees can receive a Smore newsletter with resources and links that can prime families for success. 

Send Follow-Up Messages to Attendees

Once you’ve held your informative family information night and cleaned up the punch and cookies, you’re ready to follow up. As teachers know, sometimes a little reinforcement can help a lesson stick. Share a message with attendees that summarizes the key information from your event, and include any helpful resources families might need—like SchoolStatus

SchoolStatus Connect makes it easy to follow up with event attendees. Sending a follow-up message on SchoolStatus Connect allows families to open conversations, clarify misunderstandings, and access resources that they may have missed. Plus, messages are auto-translated into the recipient’s preferred language, so schools can more easily connect with every family.  And you can send a Smore newsletter to invitees to recap and share information with anyone who couldn’t attend. 

Start the School Year On a Good Note

Creating strong communication pathways between families and their child’s school can have benefits that last for the entire school year, from closer connections between teachers and students to higher family engagement and student attendance. If you’re interested in learning more about how SchoolStatus Connect can create connection and community in your district, reach out to our team today for a demo of SchoolStatus Connect.

Published August 22, 2024 on eSchool News.

Can you point to that moment where a teacher said or did something that changed the course of your life? I certainly can. In my case, it wasn’t what the teacher said to me. It was what she said to my mother.

The reason I even graduated from high school was because my mom ran into my English teacher at the grocery store when I was in 10th grade, and the teacher mentioned that I’d missed class–a lot, actually. That chance encounter saved me from dropping out. 

My mom also happened to be a teacher, so you better believe I started showing up to school daily and made up for the work I’d missed. But what I learned from that moment was how important it is to keep families looped into what’s really happening with their kids at school. Because left in the dark, even the most well-intentioned parents can’t step in to course-correct before it’s too late. I became determined to bridge that communication gap between schools and home.

I started down that path as the youngest school technology director in my home state of Mississippi’s history. But I quickly learned that one-size-fits-all methods didn’t even come close to getting the job done. The tool we needed didn’t exist. For true engagement, we needed two-way communication: conversations based on data, in languages families understand, and tailored to each child’s needs.

I started my journey with that vision of seamless school-home communication. And more than a decade later, I’m still on a mission to empower families with insights and open doors for supportive interventions and greater collaboration between families, teachers, and administrators.

This past winter, my team was laser-focused on integrating six different companies into one cohesive set of solutions to better tackle some of the monumental struggles schools are experiencing–like chronic absenteeism. In the midst of this, I had my daughter’s parent-teacher conference.  I am that parent who’s guilty of missing information in the firehose of communications that come home from school because they are often school-wide announcements and rarely have anything to do with my specific child. But the parent conference was solely about my kid and had my full attention.

Read the full article on eSchool News.

When was the last time you received a message from your child’s school that made you smile? For many families, school communications are often associated with problems or concerns. But what if we could change that narrative?

A recent Learning Heroes report reveals a compelling link between positive school-family communication and student achievement. Districts that maintained strong family communication during and after the pandemic saw significantly better student outcomes. This isn’t just a feel-good strategy; it’s a proven approach to boosting student success. And it’s something families are asking for, as we learned from our school-family communications survey results.

So, how can schools harness the power of positive communication? Here are three effective strategies:

1. Celebrate Small Wins

Don’t wait for report cards to share good news. Did a student improve their attendance? Master a challenging concept? Show kindness to a classmate? These moments deserve recognition. A quick message to parents can brighten their day and reinforce positive behaviors.

2. Share Classroom Highlights

Give families a window into the exciting learning happening at school. A weekly update showcasing fun projects, interesting discussions, or upcoming events helps parents feel connected and sparks conversations at home about school life.

3. Personalize Your Approach

While mass communications have their place, personalized messages pack a punch. Consider having teachers send one positive, individualized note to a different student’s family each day. Over time, this practice builds strong, supportive relationships between school and home.

Implementing these strategies doesn’t just make families feel good—it creates a partnership that directly benefits students. When parents are regularly informed about their child’s progress and classroom experiences, they’re better equipped to provide support and reinforcement at home.

As we prepare for a new school year, let’s commit to leading with positivity in our school communications. By doing so, we’re not just sharing information—we’re building a community of engaged, informed, and enthusiastic families ready to support their children’s educational journey.

Remember, positive communication isn’t just nice to have—it’s a powerful tool that can make all the difference in student achievement. So, let’s get creative, stay consistent, and watch our school communities thrive through the power of positive communication.

If you want to learn more about how SchoolStatus Connect can help your school communicate with families, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to our team today for a free demo of SchoolStatus Connect.