New National Research Finds 24-Point Gap Between District Leaders' Perceptions and Families' Experience of School Communication

Project Tomorrow and ClassDojo study identifies opportunities to strengthen individualized, two-way family engagement and simplify the K-12 communication experience

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- District leaders overwhelmingly recognize the importance of strong communication and engagement with families, but new national research suggests families may experience those efforts differently than leaders realize.

Research from Project Tomorrow, conducted in collaboration with ClassDojo, found that while 80% of district leaders believe families are satisfied with school communication, only 56% of families report being satisfied — a 24-percentage-point perception gap.

The findings are detailed in a new report, "The Family Engagement Disconnect: How Districts Communicate vs. What Families Want and Need," which draws on survey data from more than 250 U.S. school district leaders specializing in communications, family engagement and academics, one-on-one interviews with 20 district leaders, and national family survey data from Project Tomorrow's Speak Up Research Project.

"These findings present an important opportunity for school districts," said Julie A. Evans, Ed.D., Chief Executive Officer of Project Tomorrow. "Reaching a family with a message does not necessarily mean that family feels informed, connected or engaged. District leaders can use these findings to look beyond reach and consider how communication can create more meaningful connections between families and educators."

Families Want More Than Information

District leaders already recognize the importance of those connections. Eighty-eight percent say teacher-family communication is important to student success, including 74% who consider it very important.

The research provides additional insight into what families want from that communication: deeper, more individualized information from the educators who know their children best. Among families surveyed:

• 64% want to better understand how their child's learning is measured beyond tests;
• 59% want greater insight into how instruction is personalized for their child;
• 54% want to understand the feedback their child receives and how it supports growth; and
• 53% want to know more about what teachers understand about their child's individual strengths and needs.

Project Tomorrow's interviews reinforced the value families place on hearing directly from the educators closest to their children.

Alexandra Coppadge Wright, Chief of Communications and Customer Service for the School District of Philadelphia, described the issue from her perspective as a parent: "The two key points of contact that are important voices for me are my son's teachers and my son's principal… Anything else is kind of like noise."

Moving From Communication to Engagement

The findings suggest district leaders and families share many of the same priorities for effective engagement: stronger relationships, greater trust and meaningful dialogue between home and school.

When district leaders were asked what they value in digital communication tools, 51% pointed to facilitating two-way communication between parents and teachers, 48% cited developing stronger relationships with parents, and 42% identified giving parents opportunities to provide feedback to teachers.

The opportunity, according to the research, is to ensure the communication strategies and tools districts use make those kinds of connections easier for educators and families to build and sustain.

Creating a Simpler Communication Experience

The research also highlights an opportunity for districts to simplify the communication experience for families and educators. Districts report using an average of 2.3 communication platforms simultaneously, with 36% using three or more — not including additional apps or systems individual teachers may adopt on their own.

Ease of use was the most frequently identified priority when district leaders were asked what they would want from a new communication tool, cited by 55% of respondents.

"Districts don't need another way to send families more messages. They need a better way to create connection," said Dr. Chad A. Stevens, Head of Growth & Partnerships at ClassDojo. "By bringing classroom communication and districtwide messaging into one unified experience, districts can move beyond simply reaching families and build the sustained engagement that strengthens school communities and supports student success."

Family Engagement Is a Student Success Strategy

The potential benefits extend well beyond communication. District leaders overwhelmingly connect stronger family engagement with outcomes at the center of their work. Eighty-one percent believe improved family engagement can increase student academic performance, while 76% believe it can improve attendance and 76% say students behave better when parents are engaged in classroom activities.

Technology can also help districts address practical barriers to participation. Seventy-eight percent of district leaders agree that digital tools make it easier for teachers to maintain effective, ongoing communication with families. Language access is one important example: 52% of leaders identified the ability to adjust communication to a family's preferred language as something they would want from a new communication tool.

Evans added, "Taken together, the findings give district leaders an opportunity to build on the family communication work already happening in their schools — looking beyond how many messages are sent or how many families are reached to consider how communication can become more individualized, two-way and easier for families and educators to navigate."

The full report, "The Family Engagement Disconnect: What Districts Communicate vs. What Families Want and Need," is available here.

To learn more about how ClassDojo for Districts helps school systems create a more connected, two-way communication experience for educators and families, visit https://www.classdojo.com/districts/

Project Tomorrow's vision is ensuring that today's students are well prepared to be tomorrow's innovators, leaders, and engaged citizens. We believe that authentic learning experiences enable all students to develop the skills and mindsets needed for future success. Our work spans Efficacy Studies and Research that measure the real-world impact of educational innovations, the nationally recognized Speak Up Research Project that amplifies the authentic voices of millions of K–12 stakeholders, and New Learning Model Programs that support schools in designing future-ready teaching and learning. Since 2003, we have provided education leaders, teachers, and parents with research-based insights that drive data-informed decisions, improve student outcomes, and create more effective learning experiences for all. Learn more at www.tomorrow.org.

ClassDojo is on a mission to give every child an education they love. Used in 95% of U.S. schools, ClassDojo helps teachers and families build stronger school communities through everyday communication. ClassDojo for Districts is a unified communication and engagement platform that brings everyday classroom updates and districtwide messaging into one seamless experience — helping families feel connected, students stay engaged, and school culture grows stronger. It's built with privacy at its core and available to districts at no additional cost.

Media Contact: Charlotte Andrist
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SOURCE ClassDojo