Why Equitable Parent Communication Tools Are Needed?
After more than a year of pandemic instruction that took teachers into living rooms and deputized parents as ad hoc instructors.
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Updated November 2026. This was first published on 24 November 2022. The idea is the same. Any number below is what the original piece said then. It is not a new count.
Key takeaways
- After more than a year of pandemic instruction that took teachers into living rooms and deputized parents as ad hoc instructors, equality in K12 education has become a significant issue for school systems.
- The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the foremost professional group for school system technology executives, recently identified digital equity as the top obstacle for school systems.
- This is because, even within the same school district, critical components of learning such as internet connection, device availability, comfort and knowledge of technology, and accessible material and programs vary significantly from household to household.
After more than a year of pandemic instruction that took teachers into living rooms and deputized parents as ad hoc instructors, equality in K12 education has become a significant issue for school systems. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the foremost professional group for school system technology executives, recently identified digital equity as the top obstacle for school systems.
This is because, even within the same school district, critical components of learning such as internet connection, device availability, comfort and knowledge of technology, and accessible material and programs vary significantly from household to household.
To address these issues, more depth is required than just giving the same services and equipment to all students. A focus on equality acknowledges that addressing student technology needs in a one-size-fits-all manner will not provide an equal playing field. Instead, districts must examine individual student technological requirements and address those disparities.
What is Equitable Communication? #
Equitable parent communication prioritizes meeting each parent where they are, much like digital equity for kids. Because being connected equates to being fully informed of their child’s academic achievement, parents stand to lose, according to CoSN. This entails choosing communication methods that take internet accessibility, device usability, and technological proficiency into account.
Are our tools genuinely equal when it comes to bringing parents into the conversation? #
Some of the most popular parent communication strategies impede relationship development. Most technologies, for example, need some form of ‘opt-in.’.
The term “opt-in” describes the idea that students are not always included in educational communications. The parent or caregiver must first finish a few forms, match a code, or, most frequently, download the necessary app to their smartphone to receive messages from a teacher.
For someone who is not technologically savvy, finding the right app, downloading it to a smartphone, setting up a profile, choosing a username and password to send and receive messages are all challenging activities. For this type of communication, a smartphone and WiFi is necessary. The process is even more challenging if instructions are not given in the proper language. Not to mention that this item’s instructions are just as easily forgotten as schoolwork hidden in a book bag.
What appears to be a simple 1-2-3 setup to begin getting communications from teachers quickly divides the parents between those who will download the app and those who will not or may not be able to. The year has just begun, yet a chunk of the parents have already become estranged.
Other forms of school communication take place on social media sites, which are plagued with the same issues. They require a computer or smartphone, high-speed internet, and, perhaps most significantly, knowledge of using Facebook or Twitter networks, at the very least, enough to locate a notification or event invitation.
Parental Communication vs. Equitable Communication #
Communication equity necessitates a two-way flow of information. Many parent communication apps are mainly concerned with disseminating information to families and do not allow parents to respond privately or directly to instructors. Many of these tools are set up in such a way that when parents respond, their messages are visible to everyone in the group. Parents who receive reminders to read messages that are unrelated to their kids are more inclined to opt-out, believing that the onslaught of responses is a distraction.
In contrast, an equitable parent communication method needs minimal parental involvement. Communication is kept as easy as possible to accommodate busy parent schedules, non-English speaking families, and everyone’s preferred means of communication: text messaging. Equitable communication prefers open, two-way channels of communication that do not need the use of an app, a WiFi connection, or the capacity to explore social media.
Conclusion #
Keep the key points discussed in the article in mind as you examine your parent engagement strategy and any new parent communication tools or applications. On the path to graduation, parental support is the most critical factor. District communication systems must support these connections. Parent collaborations are crucial for assisting classroom activities when creating communication strategies or methods to promote family engagement in elementary school programmes. These partnerships could entail helping out by volunteering, giving resources, or even improving classroom instruction by taking part in a lesson.
Teachers and parents can work together on interventions if a student is having problems at school because they already have a link that enables them to do so. Through effective communication, teachers may provide a good example of communication techniques that will benefit student learning, classroom behaviour, and academic success (including assignments and lessons). Leaders in the schools can promote this communication work by interacting with families. Some of these strategies for involving families can be used by school administrators who take into account the culture and setting of the school.
Questions and answers #
What is the main point? #
After more than a year of pandemic instruction that took teachers into living rooms and deputized parents as ad hoc instructors, equality in K12 education has become a significant issue for school systems.
What else did the original piece say? #
The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the foremost professional group for school system technology executives, recently identified digital equity as the top obstacle for school systems.