5 Steps for Effective Family-School Communications

Plus four free downloadable tools to help get you started!

Strong family-school communication is a cornerstone for student success, yet schools nationwide grapple with inconsistent outreach, language barriers, and lack of engagement. 

Our 2024 survey of over 1,000 K-12 families revealed that while 54% feel their school effectively communicates about the importance of attendance, 39% believe there’s room for improvement. This gap underscores the need for enhanced communication strategies.

This how-to guide shares five key steps plus four free downloadable starter tools to elevate your communication approach, helping you to foster trusting partnerships that boost attendance and academic outcomes. 

Follow these five steps to transform your school-home outreach:

Step 1: Establish a Consistent Cadence
Step 2: Streamline Your Messaging 
Step 3: Move Beyond Just One-Way Announcements
Step 4: Ensure Equal Access 
Step 5: Unify Your Efforts

Step 1: Establish a Consistent Cadence

Consistency is the cornerstone of trust in school-family relationships. Our 2024 survey of over 1,000 K-12 families revealed that 69% desire daily or weekly updates on their child’s progress, a 17% increase from current practices. This significant shift underscores the growing need for more frequent, reliable communication.

Moreover, we found that 45% of families receive communications about attendance only after their child is absent, highlighting a reactive rather than proactive approach. By establishing a consistent communication cadence, schools can shift towards preventative measures and more meaningful engagement.

Back to School Basics: 7 Tips for Fostering Good Communication →

To meet this growing demand and improve proactive outreach, develop a strategic yearly communication plan that includes regular touchpoints such as:

• Weekly emails with student progress updates
• Monthly newsletters highlighting school events and achievements
• Timely announcements about upcoming academic milestones or events
• Regular check-ins on attendance and its importance to academic success

By maintaining a reliable rhythm of outreach, you create a sense of stability and partnership that resonates with families’ needs. To establish an effective communication cadence:

• Map out a yearly calendar with diverse communication touchpoints
• Blend general updates with personalized student information
• Maintain consistency in timing and format across all communications
• Include proactive messages about attendance and its impact on learning
• Schedule regular opportunities for two-way communication and feedback

Only a third of families report receiving messages that are highly relevant and tailored to their needs. By establishing a consistent cadence, you can work towards increasing this percentage and ensuring that all families feel well-informed and connected to their child’s education journey.

Use this Communication Calendar Template to schedule your yearly communication touchpoints. This ensures consistency for your team and timely school-family communications.

Step 2: Streamline Your Messaging

In the age of information overload, delivering relevant updates efficiently is key. Our family survey revealed that 72% of families prefer receiving updates via email, and 45% feel communications are currently not frequent enough. Moreover, 31% of families reported that messages are not consistently tailored to their specific needs, highlighting the importance of customized content.

To streamline your messaging and stay top-of-mind:

Our research also uncovered the types of information families value most:

• 61% of families want updates on academic progress beyond report cards

• 49% desire behavioral observations and assessments

• 39% seek information on areas where their child may need extra support

• 34% are interested in social and emotional development updates

By focusing on these key areas in your communications, you can significantly improve family engagement and ensure your messages resonate with your audience.

Utilizing customizable templates can help you swiftly create grade-specific updates that cover academics, events, resources, and more. For inspiration, check out these customizable Weekly Classroom Update Template and Weekly Principal Update Template.

To further enhance your messaging strategy:

• Segment your audience based on grade level, language preference, or specific needs
• Use data analytics to understand which types of messages generate the most engagement
• Regularly seek feedback from families on the usefulness and clarity of your communications

Use this Communication Checklist Tool to ensure your messages are clear, relevant, and engaging. It incorporates all the key elements we’ve discussed, helping you craft communications that truly resonate with families.

By streamlining your messaging, you’ll ensure families receive clear, concise, and relevant information about their child’s education. This targeted approach not only keeps families informed but also encourages their active participation in their child’s learning journey.

Step 3: Move Beyond Just One-Way Announcements

True school-home engagement hinges on open dialogue. Our research shows that 58% of families seek a holistic approach to student success, which can only be achieved through collaborative communication efforts. By fostering two-way communication, you can better understand and address family needs, creating a more supportive and inclusive educational environment.

How one school established a 2-way communication strategy →

However, our survey revealed that only 38% of families report receiving regular communication on how they can best support their child’s academic success. An additional 34% receive this information only occasionally, indicating a significant opportunity for improvement in consistent two-way engagement.

To move beyond one-way announcements and build collaborative partnerships:

Don’t Just Broadcast—Build a Two-Way Dialogue

• Encourage families to respond to your communications
• Provide clear channels for families to reach out with questions or concerns

Solicit Feedback Via Surveys, Polls, and Forums

• Regularly ask families about their communication preferences and needs
• Use quick polls to gather opinions on school initiatives or events

Let Families Contribute Ideas and Perspectives

• Host virtual or in-person forums for families to share their thoughts
• Create opportunities for families to participate in school decision-making processes

Provide Actionable Information

• Share specific ways families can support their child’s learning at home
• Offer resources and tools that empower families to engage in their child’s education

Respond Promptly to Family Inquiries

• Set clear expectations for response time
• Ensure all staff are trained in effective communication practices

Use this customizable Family Feedback Survey Template to gather valuable insights from your school community. Regular feedback helps you refine your communication strategies and better meet family needs.

Remember, effective two-way communication not only keeps families informed but also makes them feel valued and heard. This approach can significantly boost family engagement and, ultimately, student success.

Step 4: Ensure Equal Access 

Equitable access to school communications is crucial for building an inclusive educational community. Our 2024 survey revealed striking disparities in how different families receive and experience school communications:

• 64% of multilingual families find school communications unclear or not in their preferred language
• Only 27% of multilingual respondents find it very easy to connect with teachers, compared to 40% of English-speaking families
• 24% of families expressed a desire for automatic translation into their preferred language

Read the eBook: Translation Matters →

These statistics highlight the urgent need for schools to adopt more inclusive communication practices. To ensure equal access:

Translate Materials into Multiple Languages

• Identify the primary languages spoken in your school community
• Use professional translation services or reliable translation software for accuracy

Provide Options: Visuals, Audio, Accessible Formats

• Create infographics or visual aids to supplement text-heavy communications
• Offer audio versions of important announcements for families with visual impairments or reading difficulties
• Ensure digital communications are compatible with screen readers

Use Plain Language

• Avoid jargon and complex terminology
• Explain educational concepts in simple, clear terms

Offer Multiple Communication Channels

• Provide both digital (email, text, app) and non-digital (printed materials, phone calls) options
• Consider the technology access of your school community when choosing platforms
• Opt to forego an opt-in requirement, which automatically builds in inequity

Provide Cultural Context

• Be aware of cultural differences in communication styles and expectations
• Offer explanations of school practices that may be unfamiliar to some families

Remember, accessible communication isn’t just about translation—it’s about creating messages that are culturally relevant, easily understandable, and accessible through various means. By prioritizing equal access, you ensure that all families, regardless of language, cultural background, or abilities, can fully participate in their child’s education.

Step 5: Unify Your Efforts 

While the strategies we’ve discussed and downloadable tools we’ve shared can significantly improve your school-home communication, implementing them piecemeal can be challenging and time-consuming. Our research reveals the need for a unified approach:

• Over 50% of families use three or more school communication tools for one child
• 62% of K-12 families said a single, easy-to-use communications channel would make it easier to connect with their child’s school
• 64% of families prefer a mobile app they can download to their phone for school communications
• 54% emphasized the importance of secure and private communication channels

How Pass Christian Public Schools Reached 100% of Families →

These statistics highlight the demand for a comprehensive solution that addresses all aspects of school-home communication. A unified platform like SchoolStatus Connect can streamline your efforts and provide:

Data Integration and Automated Messaging

• Seamlessly combine student data to inform personalized communications
• Set up automated messages for attendance, progress updates, and more

Customizable Messaging for Families and Groups

• Tailor communications based on grade level, language preference, or specific needs
• Create targeted campaigns for different segments of your school community

Multi-Channel Communication Options

• Offer 2-way translatable texting, video-chat, email, and mass notifications
• Integrate with existing tools like Smore newsletters

Language Translation and Accessibility Features

• Automatically translate messages into families’ preferred languages
• Ensure communications are accessible for all abilities

Individual Student Communication Logging

• Track all interactions with each family in one place
• Ensure consistent and informed communication across staff members

Analytics to Guide Personalized Outreach

• Measure engagement rates across different types of communications
• Use data to refine your strategies and improve reach

Streamlined District, School, and Classroom Level Communication

• Ensure consistent messaging across all levels of your organization
• Allow for customization at each level while maintaining overall coherence

By leveraging a comprehensive platform like SchoolStatus Connect, you can address all the key strategies we’ve discussed in this guide: establishing a consistent cadence, streamlining your messaging, facilitating two-way communication, ensuring equal access, and unifying your efforts. This holistic approach not only saves time and resources but also dramatically improves your ability to engage all families effectively.

Don’t let communication obstacles hold your students back. Take the first step toward empowering your families and unlocking your school community’s full potential.