Parent access to technology, as well as their motivation to adopt and engage your school software systems, can have a major impact on the effectiveness of your school communications. Generally speaking, most leaders and educators know that effective parent communication plays a key role when it comes to family engagement. But effective communications start with your school’s or district’s ability to reach every parent and family.
Are Apps a Barrier to Parent Communication?
If you use a school communication system that requires parents to log in or download an app to receive your messages, then you already have a barrier that might be preventing you from reaching every parent and family. With the busy lives of today’s families and the number of different accounts that they already manage, some parents might simply never take the time to log in to set up their account. Meanwhile, other parents might prefer or even require that their communications be delivered through a different method such as text message.
That’s one of the biggest problems when it comes to certain parent communication apps. If parents are required to download an app to engage with their child’s teacher or school communications, then it’s possible that you aren’t reaching every parent and family. A few of the popular parent apps, like Classdojo for example, limit parent interactions to a web browser or their mobile application and require parents to sign up to get started. These scenarios aren’t very equitable for all families, especially those that can more easily access an email or an SMS text message as compared to an app.
Removing the Barrier of Parent Apps and Logins
To equitably and effectively communicate with families, parents should not only receive school communications in the method that they prefer, but they should also be able to automatically receive them without having to download an app or log in somewhere. That’s why it’s important to evaluate the school communication apps and systems used in your schools and classrooms, and to choose one that all parents and families can easily engage with.
A school communication platform like Livingtree Engage, for example, will allow parents to use it without downloading an app or logging in online to view their communications. When parents and families are enrolled in Livingtree Engage at the beginning of each year, they don’t have to immediately log in. Parents automatically receive text and email notifications, where they can view and respond to school communications and events. So, at the most basic level, all that parents need are a phone or an email to start receiving their school communications.
Livingtree Engage includes the option within the SMS text message to view messages and events on a secure web page without ever logging in. Parents can easily type and send messages to their child’s teacher or staff from the secure web page simply by verifying their phone number. This provides added functionality for parents within a secure online environment.
Parents can create a fully customized school communication experience by logging into their Livingtree Engage account and adjusting their preferences. They can receive school communications in over 100 languages via app, web, text, or email, allowing every parent to receive school communication exactly the way they want it!
If you are looking to provide equitable school communication that makes it easy for all parents to stay involved, Livingtree is here to help you make it happen!
There are two options to get started with the Livingtree Engage school communication platform. With the free parent-teacher communication option, teachers can communicate with parents without any costs, subscriptions, or ads. There are also school and district communication platform plans to unify parent communication and improve family engagement across all schools and classrooms. Click one of the options below to learn more about enhancing communication in your school community!
