Increasing Family Engagement in Schools: What Families Say Works

TL;DR

Families are looking for meaningful connection. Based on data from 1,000+ K–12 families, this post breaks down how to increase family engagement in schools through proactive, inclusive communication that strengthens attendance, trust, and academic success.

In today’s education landscape, districts face a daunting challenge: keeping students consistently in the classroom. Chronic absenteeism is rising. Staff are stretched thin. And families, despite their best intentions, often feel left out of the loop. The solution is to listen to what families need and work to increase family engagement in schools.

Research shows that stronger family engagement is one of the most effective ways to improve attendance and student outcomes. When schools and families work together, students are more likely to show up, stay engaged, and thrive.

To understand what families need from schools, SchoolStatus conducted two national surveys: a nationwide family engagement report, surveying 1,047 K-12 families to uncover what they actually want from schools (and what’s getting in the way), and the 2024 Educator Report, surveying 1,020 educators, administrators, and families across the country.  Dr. Kara Stern, PhD, Director of Education at SchoolStatus, then joined YouthTruth’s Jennifer de Forest to unpack the results in their 8 Strategies for Building Stronger School-Family Partnerships webinar. 

Here’s what they found, and what district leaders can do to strengthen family engagement in their schools.

The Communication Gap: Why Families Feel Disconnected

Educators and families agree that communication is essential, but the data reveals a serious gap

• Only 25% of educators find it easy to connect with families
• 60% of families say they don’t receive regular updates about their child’s progress
• 78% of families feel unequipped to support learning at home

“Communication should not be the first casualty of busy schedules,” says Dr. Stern. “When families are informed and empowered, outcomes improve.”

How to Increase Family Engagement in Schools: What Families Actually Want

The SchoolStatus family survey surfaced four themes that can help guide district communication strategies.

1. Lead with Positive, Proactive Outreach

Most attendance messages go out only after a student misses class. Yet more than 70% of families said they value updates that celebrate good attendance or note improvement. Proactive, encouraging communication helps families feel connected to the school community and recognized for their efforts.

2. Treat Families as Partners

Eighty-eight percent of families believe attendance is critical to student success, but those with younger children are less likely to see its importance. That’s an opportunity for early communication. When schools reach out early and consistently, families begin to view attendance as a shared responsibility.

3. Timely, Relevant Info Builds Trust

Families want updates they can act on when they’re needed most. More than 30% say messages aren’t tailored to their needs. Tools like SchoolStatus Connect help close this gap with automatic translation, timely alerts, and delivery to each family’s preferred channel.

4. Remove Barriers to Access

Among multilingual families, 64% said school communication isn’t in their preferred language. Dr. Stern notes, “There’s no excuse for families to be left out. Access is for everyone. One student with a non-English-speaking guardian is reason enough to prioritize translation.”

Practical Advice from the Experts

Dr. Stern and Dr. de Forest outlined several steps any district can take to make engagement more consistent and effective:

• Begin every relationship with a positive introduction
• Send updates on a regular schedule to create predictability
• Use automation and language support to reach every family without adding extra work
• Review engagement data often to identify which families may need additional outreach

“When educators, families, and administrators work together, students thrive. It’s all about the right message, to the right person, at the right time.” — Dr. Kara Stern

Steps to Increase Family Engagement in Schools

Here are four ways districts can strengthen relationships and support attendance:

1. Recognize positive patterns. Acknowledge consistency before issues appear using SchoolStatus Attend.
2. Communicate in every family’s language. Use SchoolStatus Connect to automatically translate texts, calls, and emails.
3. Focus on actionable updates. Share brief, relevant information that helps families support learning at home.
4. Track engagement data. Identify gaps and follow up early with targeted communication.

For additional tactics, explore 5 Steps to Boost Family Engagement & Attendance.

How SchoolStatus Helps Districts Strengthen Family Connections

SchoolStatus offers multiple tools designed to make school-home communication more effective, accessible, and efficient:

SchoolStatus Connect centralizes texts, emails, calls, and newsletters in one place—delivering each message in the family’s preferred language and format.

SchoolStatus Attend Automates attendance outreach with positive, personalized messages that encourage consistency before absences become chronic.

Smore Newsletters enable educators to send mobile-friendly updates without design expertise.

For more details, see The K-12 Buyer’s Guide to Communication Solutions.

The Bottom Line

The first step in any student’s journey is being in class. But long-term success depends on family connection. By investing in clear communication that reaches every family, district leaders can build trust, improve attendance, and strengthen their school communities.

If your district is looking for a better way to connect with every family, SchoolStatus can help.

Want actionable strategies you can implement right away? Download 5 Steps to Boost Family Engagement and Attendance for a quick-start guide rooted in real educator success.

Want More Insights?

Watch the full webinar on-demand

Explore:

• What families really want from school communication
• How proactive strategies can prevent chronic absenteeism
• How to build trust and engagement

If you’re working to improve attendance, increase engagement, or create more accessible family-school partnerships, this conversation is for you.

Need support increasing family engagement in your schools? Let’s talk about how SchoolStatus solutions can help you reach every family and drive student success.