Choosing the right school attendance management system is a critical decision for district leaders and school administrators. The right platform can significantly improve how you monitor attendance, identify at-risk students, and intervene early to boost student success. But not all systems are built the same. If you’re evaluating student attendance tracking software for your district, here are the top 10 must-have features to look for:

1. Attendance Tracking

A high-quality attendance system for school staff should provide real-time data through tools like SchoolStatus Attend, so educators can act quickly when students miss class or approach chronic absenteeism.

2. Early Warning Indicators for At-Risk Students

Your student attendance management software should use predictive analytics to flag students who need support, giving your team time to intervene and re-engage them. Learn how to spot at-risk students early.

3. Seamless SIS Integration

Choose a platform that integrates effortlessly with your Student Information System (SIS). This ensures data accuracy and reduces manual effort across platforms.

4. Mobile-Friendly Dashboards

Today’s educators need flexible tools. A mobile-responsive interface helps teachers and administrators track attendance and access student data anytime, anywhere.

5. Multi-Tiered Intervention Management

Support your MTSS framework with a system that makes it easy to assign and monitor tiered interventions, ensuring no student slips through the cracks.

6. Parent and Guardian Notifications

Family engagement is key to improving attendance. Platforms like SchoolStatus Connect offer built-in two-way communication to notify caregivers of absences and encourage dialogue. For more on engaging families, check out The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to a Consolidated School-Home Communications Solution.

7. Customizable Reporting and Analytics

Look for detailed reporting options to break down attendance trends by grade, subgroup, or school site. These insights can guide decisions at both school and district levels.

8. User-Friendly Interface

An intuitive design is essential. Your team should be able to use the software with minimal training, reducing barriers to adoption.

9. Compliance Support

State and federal reporting can be complex. Your student attendance tracking software should make compliance easy, with automated reports and built-in policy alignment.

10. Data Security and FERPA Compliance

Protecting student data is non-negotiable. Make sure the system you choose is fully compliant with FERPA and follows industry best practices for data security.

Choosing the Right Attendance and Engagement Tools

Investing in a comprehensive school attendance management system is one of the most effective ways to reduce chronic absenteeism and improve academic outcomes. SchoolStatus Attend makes attendance tracking seamless, while SchoolStatus Connect ensures meaningful communication with families to drive re-engagement.

Looking to improve attendance and boost engagement? Schedule a personalized demo to see SchoolStatus in action, and download our free Buyer’s Guide to compare features and find the right solution for your district.

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Related Resources:

• How to Spot At-Risk Students Early
• 5 Steps to Better Attendance
• Calculating the ROI of SchoolStatus for Your School District

Chronic absenteeism is rising across the country, and K–12 leaders are under increasing pressure to respond. Whether driven by state accountability changes, academic recovery efforts, or community expectations, improving attendance is a district’s top priority.

But there is a challenge. Many districts are trying to address attendance with fragmented data, siloed departments, and manual processes that stretch staff too thin. Despite good intentions, efforts often stall.

It does not have to be that way. With a more strategic, connected approach to data, district leaders can make measurable improvements without overwhelming their teams. This approach is outlined in our new resource, The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies.

Start With the Right Data at the Right Time

One of the most common roadblocks to improving attendance is delayed or disconnected data. When district leaders do not have access to timely attendance information, it becomes difficult to identify trends or intervene early enough to make a difference.

The eBook outlines the core data points districts should monitor regularly, including:

• Daily and period-level attendance trends
• Consecutive absences
• Intervention caseloads by tier
• Disparities by grade level, school site, and subgroup

More importantly, it emphasizes the need for real-time access to data that is centralized and actionable. Platforms like SchoolStatus Attend provide up-to-date visibility into attendance across every campus, helping leaders respond faster and plan more strategically.

For further reading on what data matters most, see EdWeek’s research on absenteeism trends post-pandemic.

Make Attendance a Shared Responsibility

Improving attendance should not fall entirely on the shoulders of school site staff. While teachers and counselors play a key role, district leaders must ensure the system they use enables collaboration across roles and departments.

The guide introduces a tiered attendance intervention model that helps align responsibilities across the district. This structure supports:

• Clear criteria for Tier 1, 2, and 3 interventions
• Consistent communication with families and students
• Central tracking of actions and outcomes
• Streamlined coordination between central office and campuses

When district and school teams work from the same data and processes, they reduce duplicated efforts and increase the effectiveness of their outreach.

Access the framework in the full guide: The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies

Prioritize Outreach That Works

Family communication is a cornerstone of any successful attendance strategy. However, when outreach is inconsistent, untargeted, or time-consuming, it fails to make an impact.

The eBook encourages districts to move beyond mass messages and toward targeted, two-way communication. This means:

• Using attendance data to trigger timely messages
• Automating outreach for frequent absence patterns
• Translating messages into a family’s preferred language
• Tracking responses to close the communication loop

Tools like SchoolStatus Connect make this possible by integrating communication directly with student data and intervention logs. Teachers and staff can reach families by text, email, or call, and view real-time engagement metrics.

Need more insight on this? Read our Engagement Trends in School-Family Communications Report to learn how communication frequency and format impact outcomes.

Focus on Systems That Scale

Districts do not need more disconnected tools. They need systems that scale and support long-term improvement without creating more manual work.

The guide includes best practices for building sustainable, scalable systems such as:

• Automating documentation of attendance-related outreach
• Providing district-wide visibility into tiered interventions
• Training campus teams with clear protocols and built-in tools
• Measuring outcomes to inform policy and practice

Districts featured in the guide have successfully reduced chronic absenteeism while saving staff time by adopting integrated platforms that consolidate data and communication in one place.

For a real-world example, read how Troup County Schools tackled absenteeism with systemic, relationship-centered strategies.

Build a Smarter Path Forward

Addressing chronic absenteeism is not about quick fixes or one-size-fits-all programs. It is about building smarter systems that connect the right data to the right people, at the right time.

The District Leader’s Guide to Data-Driven Attendance Strategies offers a blueprint for doing exactly that. It is written for district leaders who want to drive meaningful change without adding more to everyone’s plate.

Inside, you will find:

• A framework for district-wide attendance improvement
• Tools to help teams work smarter, not harder
• Guidance on coordinating across roles and departments
• Real examples of success from other K–12 systems

Attendance isn’t just a metric—it’s the foundation for learning, relationships, and long-term student success. But when districts rely on manual processes or outdated systems, they miss key opportunities to act early. That’s why more educators are replacing spreadsheets and disconnected systems with purpose-built, attendance tracking software for schools.

Whether you’re still using an attendance tracker in Excel or exploring a smarter attendance dashboard for teachers, here’s what sets effective solutions apart (and how the right platform can drive districtwide impact).

1. Real-Time Data That Drives Decisions

The best student attendance software doesn’t just track, it enables timely action. With real-time data, educators can quickly identify trends, uncover barriers, and support students before issues escalate. Real-time visibility is especially important in identifying chronic absenteeism early and coordinating quick interventions across departments.

See national chronic absenteeism data from the U.S. Department of Education.

With platforms like SchoolStatus Attend, educators can easily view daily absence patterns, compare historical attendance trends, and receive automated flagging for students who may need extra support. This makes every data point a trigger for positive action.

2. Built for Educators, Not Engineers

Great school attendance software fits seamlessly into the school day. Platforms should be intuitive, easy to navigate, and require little training—empowering educators to focus on students, not systems. If a system takes weeks to understand, it’s already lost its value.

Educators need tools that are easy to learn, with user-friendly dashboards, smart automation, and clean reporting. Systems like SchoolStatus prioritize accessibility and simplicity, ensuring school staff can confidently use the platform from day one.

3. Works Where Learning Happens

A reliable attendance app for teachers should work across devices, from classroom desktops to mobile hall passes. With more learning happening in flexible spaces (think pullout groups, intervention rooms, or field-based programs) mobile-friendly attendance tracking is a must.

Mobile access also empowers staff to take attendance in real time, no matter the location. That means fewer missed entries, more accurate records, and easier interventions.

4. Connects with Your SIS & Gradebooks

Your attendance system shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. Look for solutions that integrate directly with your SIS, learning management system (LMS), and gradebooks. This keeps data consistent and reduces administrative overhead.

SchoolStatus connects to your core systems to ensure that attendance records, interventions, and communications are aligned across platforms. That integration helps your teams work smarter, not harder.

5. Automates the Right Alerts at the Right Time

It’s not enough to notice a problem, schools need to act before patterns become chronic. A great system helps by triggering alerts for concerning trends: students who’ve missed three consecutive days, reached a specific absence threshold, or shifted from “on track” to “at risk.”

By connecting alerts with family engagement tools like SchoolStatus Connect, your teams can follow up quickly through phone, text, or email—in the caregiver’s preferred language.

6. Provides Clear, Actionable Insights

Leadership teams need data that tells a story. Your student attendance software should offer customizable reports and visual dashboards that support school improvement planning, MTSS interventions, compliance reporting, and funding applications.

Whether you’re reporting to the board, preparing for audits, or guiding team decisions, access to the right information—in the right format—makes all the difference.

7. Scales with Your Strategy

Districts are constantly evolving. Whether you’re expanding programming, adjusting to state requirements, or taking a more personalized approach to family engagement, your tools need to grow with you.

Look for platforms that support customization, multi-campus structures, and evolving workflows, without requiring a new rollout every time your needs change.

8. Supports a Culture of Showing Up

More than just tracking attendance, a great platform promotes awareness and accountability. With proactive communication and insight into root causes, schools can shift from reacting to absences to preventing them.

SchoolStatus Attend works in tandem with SchoolStatus Connect to streamline interventions, drive equitable systems, and build trust with families. When educators, families, and administrators all see the same data—and can act on it together—everyone is more invested in helping students show up and succeed.

From Tracking to Transforming

At its core, attendance tracking is about building trust, identifying needs early, and keeping every student engaged. The right solution makes this easier, more efficient, and impactful.

With SchoolStatus, districts across the country are:

• Reducing chronic absenteeism by 10–30%
• Improving family response rates
• Saving time through automation
• Strengthening equity and compliance

Ready to move from tracking attendance to transforming outcomes? Download our Attendance Buyer’s Guide or schedule a demo today.

Related Resources

• The Ultimate Buyer’s Guide to a Consolidated School-Home Communications Solution
• How to Spot At-Risk Students Early
• 5 Steps to Improve Student Attendance

Managing processes like student registration is anything but easy. It requires reams of paper, complex processes, and tons of back-and-forth between school staff and parents. There’s just so much to consider, like making sure parents fill out the right forms, following up with families who fail to complete required forms, ensuring staff members have all of the necessary forms before the first day of school, and a whole lot more.

To make managing forms and automating workflows a bit easier, we’re excited to add another innovative solution to the SchoolStatus family of products: SchoolStatus Forms & Flows (formerly Operoo), a workflow automation platform designed to streamline and simplify processes for K-12 schools and districts.

In this post, we’ll explain how SchoolStatus Forms & Flows can help your district operate more efficiently and save valuable time. 

Digitize Paper-Based Forms

The heart of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows is digital forms. The platform allows you to make any paper-based form digital including things like field trip forms, student registration, staff forms, and medical cards.

With fully customizable digital forms, you can:

• Allow parents to complete forms on any device. The days of parents crowding into the front office to complete back-to-school forms are officially over! Instead, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows allows you to send parents a link to a digital form that they can complete on any device and in the language of their choice.
• Find form completions in a few clicks. Rifling through a file cabinet to find the right form amid a crisis can be a nightmare. Luckily, digitizing paperwork means you can access form responses online or on our mobile app.
• Cut down on costs. By reducing the amount of paper flowing through your district, you’re not just saving the trees—you’re saving valuable time and money from your budget. 

Automate Key Workflows

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows doesn’t stop at just helping you digitize paperwork. Instead, we digitize the whole process. Think about everything that happens after a form is submitted. We can help with all of it!

Here’s how a school field trip might look with the power of automation:

• A teacher submits a field trip request form digitally
• The Assistant Principal in charge of student enrichment receives an email with the form submission attached and the option to approve the trip request or deny it with additional information
• The minute the trip is approved, the teacher receives an email with the good news and forms to request coverage for chaperones, submit a field trip meal request to the cafeteria, and a district-level form to request transportation
• The teacher submits the additional forms and sends out a field trip permission form to all of the parents in her classroom
• Families fill out the form in their native language on the device of their choice. They also can submit digital payments, instead of sending cash with their children.
• The teacher can run a report at any time to see which of her students have filled out permission slips. In the background, SchoolStatus Forms & Flows handles following up with parents who have yet to submit the permission form.
• Students enjoy the trip! The teacher is happy that running a field trip didn’t pull her away from her usual duties.

If your team spends hours completing all of the tasks that come after a form is submitted, automating the whole process with SchoolStatus Forms & Flows could give you all back tons of time.

Forms & Flows for Family Communications

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows allows families to complete forms on any device, in the language of their choice. But that’s just the beginning. The platform helps families submit the right forms, pay school fees and fines digitally, and protect their privacy.

SchoolStatus Forms & Flows helps families:

• Never miss an important form. Automated workflows can make forms available to families based on their responses. For example, if a family indicates that their child has to take medication each day, they would get access to a form that requires them to explain proper medication administration to the School Nurse. These automation steps help ensure the right families access the right forms with zero guesswork.
• Securely process cashless payments. Process library fees, field trip costs, extracurricular dues, lunch bills, and more with secure browser-based payments. 
• Protect privacy. School forms can include lots of sensitive data from students or staff members. Submitting forms digitally means you never have to worry about a file cabinet left open or a form left on a desk for anyone to see.

If you’re ready to start saving time, effort, and stress in your district, give SchoolStatus Forms & Flows a try. Reach out to our team for a demo of SchoolStatus Forms & Flows, and see for yourself what efficient digital workflows can do for your district. 

“I thought we were going to have 115% attendance when we came back after the pandemic. And it was actually the opposite.” 

This candid observation from Jessica Bull, Executive Director of Communication at Roseville City School District, captures what districts nationwide discovered as schools reopened: attendance challenges weren’t going away—they were intensifying.

The data confirms this reality. Chronic absenteeism rates still hover at 26% in the 2022-23 school year, nearly double pre-pandemic levels. This means one in four students is missing enough school to significantly impact their academic future.

Despite universal concern about this issue, our 2024 Educator Report uncovered a troubling disconnect: while 77% of educators consider school-home communication “critical” for improving outcomes, only 25% find it “very easy” to connect with families. 

This gap between intention and implementation helps explain why attendance problems persist.

Key Challenges in Attendance & Family Engagement

Our research with educators reveals a concerning pattern: most schools address attendance only after it becomes a problem. 

In fact, just 37% of schools regularly communicate with families about the importance of attendance, while the majority—58%—reach out only after absences accumulate. This reactive approach misses crucial opportunities for prevention. Further complicating matters, educators often struggle to confirm whether their communications even reach families. Nearly half (43%) report uncertainty about message reception, and almost a third contend with language barriers that make meaningful engagement difficult. 

Meanwhile, YouthTruth data shows only 42% of students feel connected to their school community, creating a perfect storm for attendance problems: when students don’t feel they belong, showing up becomes much less important to them.

District Success Stories:
Data-Driven Solutions that Work

Districts that have successfully reversed attendance trends share three common strategies:

1. Real-Time Data to Drive Early Intervention

Roseville City USD transformed their paper-based processes into a digital system providing immediate visibility into attendance patterns. “We had no way to quickly see who hasn’t been at school,” explained Attendance Supervisor Kim Peterson. “Now we can identify who those students are, who are the outliers, who are the groups that are right on that edge.” 

Results: Chronic absenteeism dropped from 18% to 10% in two years. 

2. Streamlined, Consistent Family Communication

Grand Prairie ISD eliminated their “time-consuming and cumbersome” manual processes by implementing automated but personalized communication systems. 

Results: 32% “save rate” for students at risk of chronic absenteeism and 23% improvement in conference effectiveness. 

3. Multilingual, Accessible Outreach

Prince William County Public Schools addressed communication barriers with diverse families through automated translation features and multiple communication channels.

Results: 97% of teachers feel better equipped to meet student needs, and 75% of students who received one attendance letter showed immediate improvement. 

The ROI of Improved Attendance

A 2023 study found that schools with strong family engagement before the pandemic experienced significantly better outcomes after, including:

• 39% smaller rise in chronic absenteeism
• 37% smaller decline in math proficiency
• 27% smaller decline in ELA proficiency 

While the national chronic absence rate improved by just 8.54% from 2021-22 to 2022-23, districts using integrated data and communication platforms saw improvements of 22.23%. 

Taking Action: Next Steps for District Leaders

Districts looking to improve attendance and family engagement should focus on:

1. Implementing real-time data systems that flag attendance concerns early
2. Automating routine communications while personalizing follow-up
3. Ensuring accessibility for all families through translation and multiple channels

These aren’t just theories—they’re practical approaches that real districts have used to turn around concerning attendance trends. Leaders considering technology to support attendance efforts could look to tools that solve actual day-to-day challenges, and  systems that provide real-time visibility so no one is working with last month’s data. Consider whether the platform integrates communication capabilities

Lastly, pay attention to whether the solution can help identify emerging attendance issues before they become chronic problems, as early awareness is often the key to successful intervention.

Choosing the Right Attendance & Engagement Technology

Selecting the right technology helps districts improve attendance while saving time and resources. Key features to look for include:

• Real-time Attendance Tracking: Provides instant data to prevent delayed interventions
• Integrated Communication Tools: Combines multiple communication methods into one platform
• Predictive Analytics: Identifies at-risk students early for proactive support
• Two-way Communication: Enables direct family engagement without extra apps
• Translation Capabilities: Ensures messages reach all families
• Customizable Dashboards: Offers clear insights into district-wide trends

Next Steps for District Leaders:

The data is clear: improving attendance isn’t just about tracking absences—it’s about strengthening family connections and identifying challenges early. Districts that take a proactive, data-driven approach are seeing measurable improvements, from lower absenteeism rates to better academic outcomes.

Addressing attendance challenges doesn’t require starting from scratch. Proven strategies—real-time data, consistent outreach, and accessible communication—are already working in schools nationwide. The key is taking that first step.

To help your district move forward, we’ve developed several practical resources:

• Attendance Goal-Setting Worksheet – Set clear, data-backed attendance targets
• On-Demand Webinar Series – Hear directly from district leaders who have successfully improved attendance
• ROI Calculator – See the potential impact of better attendance tracking and family engagement on your district’s resources

These tools can help you assess where you are today—and take meaningful action to improve student outcomes as soon as tomorrow.

At SchoolStatus, we believe in evolving alongside educators’ needs. Thanks to valuable feedback from education leaders like you, we’re excited to introduce significant improvements to the SchoolStatus Boost Insights Report—reimagined to streamline how you track and support educator growth.

What’s New?

The enhanced Insights Report brings you:

• A streamlined dashboard that puts essential information front and center, featuring clear visualizations of goal progress, practice implementation, and next steps
• An intuitive interface that makes it easier to track educator development across different practice levels—from emerging to innovating
• Comprehensive progress tracking that shows you exactly where each educator stands in their professional growth journey

Why These Updates Matter for Education Leaders

If you’re looking to:

• Save time reviewing educator progress and development
• Get clear, actionable data on professional growth initiatives
• Ensure consistent support across your educator teams
• Make informed decisions about professional development resources

The new Insights Report is designed to address these exact needs, putting powerful tracking and support tools at your fingertips.

Getting Started with the New Experience

Current SchoolStatus Boost users will see these updates automatically in their accounts starting March 7, 2025. Here’s what you can expect:

1. The new interface will be available when you log in to your SchoolStatus Boost account
2. All your existing data and progress tracking will seamlessly transfer to the new view
3. Your Customer Success Manager is ready to help you make the most of these new features

Need Support?

Have questions about the new Insights Report? We’re here to help:

• Contact your dedicated Customer Success Manager
• Email our support team here
• Visit our help center here

We’re committed to supporting your educator development initiatives, and this update is just the beginning. Stay tuned for more enhancements designed to make your work easier and more impactful.

Improve School-Home Communication for Better Student Outcomes

Table of Contents

Why School-Home Communication Matters
Challenges in School-Home Communication
Tools and Technology to Enhance Communication
Measuring the Success of Your Communication
Success Stories from Real Schools
Taking Action to Improve Communication

Introduction

Connecting schools with families has never been more important (or more challenging). Parents want to stay informed about their child’s progress, and educators need effective ways to engage families in meaningful ways. But between busy schedules, technology gaps, and language barriers, communication often falls short. The result? Missed messages, decreased engagement, and lower student attendance.

Why does this matter? Because when schools and families communicate effectively, everyone benefits. Students attend more regularly, perform better academically, and feel more supported. Parents become active partners in their child’s education, while teachers build stronger relationships with families.

This page explores practical ways to strengthen school-home communication, overcome common challenges, and boost student success. When you’re ready to dive deeper, with proven strategies, real-world examples, and actionable tools—there’s more to discover. 

Why School-Home Communication Matters

Improving communication with families isn’t just a “nice-to-have,” it’s essential for student success. By fostering stronger connections between schools and families, you can:

• Improve Student Success: Regular communication improves attendance, grades, and behavior
• Build Trust: Consistent messaging makes families feel welcomed and valued
• Make Data-Driven Decisions: Track communication efforts and adjust strategies for better engagement

Want practical tools to help implement these changes? Our eBook covers step-by-step methods and tools to transform how your school connects with families. Download it here.

Challenges in School-Home Communication

Even with the best intentions, schools often face obstacles such as:

• Language Barriers: Families who speak different languages can struggle with understanding important updates
• Information Overload: Too many emails or messages can overwhelm parents
• Inconsistent Messaging: Conflicting information from various departments leads to confusion
• Technology Gaps: Not all families have easy access to digital communication channels

Tools and Technology to Enhance Communication

Improving communication doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some key strategies:

1. Use One Communication Tool for Everything

A unified platform makes it easier for schools to send clear, consistent messages for families to stay informed.

• Track engagement with all-in-one tools just like Galena Park School District
• See How Warwick Valley Central School District avoids mixed messages by managing communication in one place

Want results like Galena Park School District?  Request a Demo to learn how SchoolStatus can help your district.

2. Personalize Messages for Families

• Communicate in families’ preferred languages
• Tailor messages to meet individual family needs for higher engagement

3. Use Multiple Ways to Reach Parents

• Some parents prefer text messages, while others prefer phone calls or emails
• Select methods that work best for your school community

4. Train Staff for Consistent Messaging

• Provide training to ensure all staff use consistent language and tone
• Use pre-built templates to save time and ensure accuracy

Explore detailed strategies, ready-to-use templates, and best practices in family engagement here.

Measuring the Success of Your Communication Efforts

It’s important to know if your communication efforts are working. Key metrics to monitor include:

• Parent response rates and engagement levels
• Attendance improvements after communication initiatives
• Student academic performance and behavioral trends

What to Look for in a Communication Tool

When choosing the right solution for your school, prioritize:

• Ease of Use: Intuitive platforms save time for staff and parents
• Security: Protect sensitive information with secure communication tools
• Integration: Choose systems that work with your school’s SIS and LMS

Why Choose SchoolStatus

• Centralize all communications in one easy-to-use platform
• Transform your student information into actionable touchpoints
• Simple implementation that requires minimal IT support
• Join the schools using SchoolStatus who have seen parent engagement improve by 60%!

See how SchoolStatus can work for your district by exploring real success stories. 

Success Stories from Real Schools

Schools that focus on effective communication see remarkable improvements:

• Kyle Reynolds, Chief Equity, Superintendent at Woodward Public School District, used personalized messaging with automatic logging and tracking to improve graduation rates.
• Dr. Rob Brown, Superintendent at Lumpkin County School District, integrated assessments, benchmarks, and more to put student data on the same screen as family communication tools, creating an effective avenue for each employee to develop partnerships with families.
• Prince William County Schools combated chronic absenteeism with solutions to empower effective communication, collaboration, and family engagement.

These are just a few examples. Our eBook is packed with more real-world success stories to inspire your school’s communication journey. Get inspired—download it today.

Taking Action to Improve Your School-Home Communication

Effective communication is more than just sending messages—it’s about building meaningful relationships with families that directly impact student success. Schools that invest in clear, consistent communication see higher attendance, stronger parent engagement, and improved student outcomes. You’ve learned key strategies and practical tips throughout this guide, but this is just the beginning.

Are you ready to take your communication efforts to the next level?

The best way to drive real change is to dive deeper with our comprehensive resources:

• In-depth communication strategies tailored for schools and districts
• Real-world case studies that showcase proven results
• Practical templates and tools to implement immediately
• Expert insights that help you engage every family, every time

Don’t wait to make a difference. Empower your educators, strengthen your community, and improve student outcomes today.

Download the eBook now and start transforming your communication strategies!

In the digital age, data privacy is no longer optional—especially in K-12 education. Schools handle sensitive information daily, from student records and attendance data to parent communications. Protecting this data is essential for safeguarding student safety, complying with regulations, and maintaining trust with families.

This blog delves into the critical aspects of data privacy in K-12 communication. We’ll explore key challenges, best practices, and actionable steps schools can take to ensure secure, compliant communication while fostering transparency and trust.

The Growing Importance of Data Privacy in K-12

Schools are increasingly relying on digital platforms to manage communication, attendance tracking, and family engagement. However, with this reliance comes heightened risks: data breaches, unauthorized access, and misuse of sensitive information.

Key Statistics:

• Over 89% of educational institutions have experienced a cyberattack since 2020​.
• Student data is valued 5–10x more than adult data on the dark web​.

Why It Matters:

1. Protecting Students: Cyberattacks can compromise sensitive student information, leading to identity theft or misuse.
2. Maintaining Trust: Parents expect schools to safeguard their children’s information. A breach can erode trust and damage reputations.
3. Ensuring Compliance: Federal laws like FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) and COPPA (Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act) mandate strict data protection measures.

Common Data Privacy Challenges in K-12 Schools

• Multiple Platforms: Schools often use various tools for attendance, communication, and grading, increasing the risk of data silos and breaches.
• Human Error: Unintentional sharing of sensitive information remains one of the top causes of data breaches.
• Third-Party Vendors: Not all education tech tools comply with privacy regulations, exposing schools to vulnerabilities.

Real-Life Example:

In 2021, a ransomware attack on a U.S. school district compromised personal information for over 500,000 students, staff, and families, highlighting the critical need for secure systems​.

Best Practices for Protecting Data Privacy in K-12 Communication

1. Centralize Your Communication Tools

Using a unified platform reduces the risks associated with managing multiple systems. Tools like SchoolStatus combine attendance tracking, family engagement, and messaging, minimizing data silos and enhancing security.

2. Prioritize Compliance

Ensure all tools and processes align with key regulations, including:

• FERPA: Governs the privacy of student education records
• COPPA: Regulates online data collection for children under 13
• State-Level Laws: Like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

3. Train Staff on Privacy Best Practices

Human error is a leading cause of breaches. Conduct regular training sessions to help educators and staff understand:

• Secure password practices
• Recognizing phishing attempts
• Proper handling of sensitive data

4. Implement Strong Access Controls

Limit data access to authorized personnel only, and use role-based permissions to ensure staff members see exclusively the data they need.

5. Encrypt All Communication

Encryption ensures that sensitive messages, such as progress updates or attendance notifications, remain secure during transmission.

Actionable Steps for Schools in 2025 and Beyond

• Audit Current Systems: Identify vulnerabilities in your existing tools and processes.
• Develop a Data Privacy Policy: Clearly outline how student and family data is collected, stored, and shared.
• Engage Families: Communicate your privacy measures to families to build trust and transparency.
• Plan for the Worst: Create an incident response plan to handle breaches effectively, minimizing damage.

Building a Culture of Privacy

As schools increasingly embrace digital communication tools, prioritizing data privacy is essential for protecting students, maintaining trust, and ensuring compliance. By adopting secure systems, training staff, and communicating transparently with families, K-12 institutions can navigate the complexities of data privacy with confidence.

Learn More: Discover how SchoolStatus simplifies K-12 communication while prioritizing data security and compliance.

The top PreK-20 companies, products, and leaders with clear contributions to equity and access were identified across 29 unique award categories.

Ridgeland, Mississippi, December 17, 2024 — SchoolStatus, SchoolStatus, a leader in K-12 EdTech, was recognized today as one of the top Family Engagement Solutions in the 2024 Excellence in Equity—Industry Impact Awards. This important recognition celebrates SchoolStatus’s innovative approach to advancing educational equity through meaningful family-school connections.

The Excellence in Equity Awards highlight organizations making significant contributions to educational equity and access across the PreK-20 spectrum. This year’s program recognized 44 outstanding companies, leaders, and products across 29 categories, showcasing the breadth and depth of innovation in educational equity.

“Congratulations to all the deserving winners of the Industry Impact Awards, and a heartfelt thank you for the work you do to support educators and students,” said Maia Appleby, Communications and Editorial Director for the American Consortium for Equity in Education. “It’s a joy to announce these winners, highlight their meaningful contributions to education, and it will be just as exciting to see what they do next.”

“At SchoolStatus, we believe that when schools and families come together, there’s no limit to what students can achieve,” said Russ Davis, CEO of SchoolStatus. “This recognition validates our mission of breaking down barriers and building relationships between school and home so that every student is known by name and by need. By making communication equitable and accessible, we’re not just connecting schools and homes—we’re bridging opportunity gaps.”

Nominees for the Industry Impact Awards were asked to provide information about their relevant work supporting equity and access, evidence of their impact, testimonials, and supporting materials. SchoolStatus’s family engagement platform stands out for its comprehensive approach to school-home communication, featuring:

• Multilingual communication capabilities that respect and accommodate family preferences
• Multi-channel outreach options including voice, text, video, and print
• Data-driven insights that enable proactive and meaningful engagement
• Seamless integration with existing school systems
• Tools that help eliminate communication barriers and promote equity

The impact of SchoolStatus’s approach is evident in the company’s results. A 2024 report analyzing approximately one million students across more than 100 partner districts revealed significant improvements in chronic absenteeism, particularly among historically underserved populations. While national chronic absence rates improved by 8.54%, SchoolStatus partner districts saw notably better outcomes. For instance, chronic absenteeism rates for Hispanic students dropped by 16.68%—double the national improvement rate.

The 2024 Excellence in Equity Awards shine a spotlight on solutions that are making tangible improvements in educational access and outcomes. SchoolStatus’s recognition in the Family Engagement category underscores the critical role that effective school-home communication plays in advancing educational equity.

About the Excellence in Equity Awards

The annual Excellence in Equity Awards program recognizes the companies, nonprofits, leaders, and educators whose work contributes to the critical goal of ensuring access and equity for every learner. Learn more at www.ace-ed.org/awards.

About SchoolStatus

SchoolStatus is a unified K-12 family engagement platform that improves student outcomes through school communications, attendance, and educator growth solutions. Serving over 22 million students across all 50 states, SchoolStatus provides data-backed insights that break down barriers and build relationships between school and home. For more information, visit schoolstatus.com.

Media Contact:
Sydney Stressman
Zer0 to 5ive for SchoolStatus
sstressman@0to5.com
609.238.6663

Ridgeland, Mississippi, December 16, 2024 — SchoolStatus, a leader in K-12 attendance, communications, and data analytics, today announced they have been included in the 2025 GSV 150, a prestigious list recognizing the world’s most transformational private companies in digital learning and workforce skills.

SchoolStatus was chosen from over 2,500 venture capital and private equity-backed companies evaluated by GSV using their proprietary assessment methodology. The 2025 GSV 150 represents a dynamic group of companies collectively generating over $25 billion in annual revenue and reaching more than 3 billion learners globally. 

“Being named to the GSV 150 validates our mission to transform education through meaningful family engagement and actionable data,” said Russ Davis, CEO of SchoolStatus. “As we continue to innovate and expand our platform, this recognition reinforces the impact we’re making in helping educators tackle chronic absenteeism, build stronger relationships with families, and improve student outcomes.”

The selection process analyzed key factors including revenue scale, revenue growth, user reach, geographic diversification, and margin profile. This year’s cohort notably features generative AI integration across many offerings, alongside a significant shift toward profitability.

Key highlights of the 2025 GSV 150 include:

• Strong representation from the K-12 sector (48% of companies)
• Significant presence in workforce learning (46% of companies)
• Broad geographic diversity with companies from North America, India, Europe, and China
• Companies spanning multiple “PreK to Gray” education sectors

SchoolStatus continues to expand its comprehensive family engagement platform that combines attendance management, parent communications, student data analytics, and educator growth to help educators drive student success through enhanced family engagement.

About GSV

Founded in 2011, GSV is a global platform that drives education and workforce skills innovation. Our mission is that ALL people have equal access to the future, and we believe that scaled innovations in “PreK to Gray” learning and skills are crucial to achieving this goal. The GSV platform includes the ASU+GSV Summit, hosted annually in San Diego with 7,000+ attendees; the India-based ASU+GSV & Emeritus Summit, now entering its third year; and The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, an immersive exploration of the AI Revolution in education, which welcomed 10,000+ attendees this year. GSV Ventures, GSV’s investment arm founded in 2015, is a multi-stage venture fund investing in the most transformational companies across the global “PreK to Gray” landscape.

About SchoolStatus

SchoolStatus is a unified K-12 platform that leverages family engagement to drive greater impact for students through school communications, attendance, and educator growth solutions. Serving over 22 million students across all 50 states, SchoolStatus provides data-backed insights that break down barriers and build relationships between school and home. For more information, visit schoolstatus.com.

Media Contact:
Sydney Stressman
Zer0 to 5ive for SchoolStatus
sstressman@0to5.com
609.238.6663