New national survey finds parents want clearer school information -- and are more satisfied when they can find it

As public school enrollment declines, GreatSchools introduces a new tool to help districts meet families' demand for accessible, comprehensive school information

OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A new nationwide survey from GreatSchools.org reveals that parents want clearer, more complete information about their schools — along with communication that is easy to access and understand. The survey of more than 1,000 K–12 parents showed a strong correlation between parents' overall satisfaction with their school (and willingness to recommend it to others) and their experience finding important information.

Top findings include:

• Parent satisfaction with school communication is one of the strongest predictors of overall school satisfaction: 90% of parents who would recommend their school report being satisfied or very satisfied with communication.
• 74% of parents who are highly likely to recommend their school say it is easy to find relevant information, compared to just 20% of those less likely to recommend it.
• Communication quality shapes parents' perceptions of their child's access to opportunities. Only 26% of parents likely to recommend their school said they missed an important opportunity or deadline due to unclear communication, compared to 70% of parents unlikely to recommend their school.
• When evaluating schools, parents look beyond test scores, seeking a more complete view of academic programs, extracurriculars, social supports, and clear explanations of public data. Parents in lower-income households expressed especially high interest in information about supports such as free meals and after-school care.

These findings come at a time when families have more school options than ever and rely on information from multiple sources to make decisions. While the majority of parents (70%) still turn to official school or district websites and third-party sites like GreatSchools.org, many report inconsistent experiences finding what they need — a factor that closely mirrors their willingness to recommend their child's school.

"Clear, consistent communication is the foundation of trust with our families," said Dana Altemeyer, EdD, Director of Communications for the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township (IN). "Parents want to understand not only how their child is doing, but what their school offers and how we're supporting every student. When districts can meet parents where they're searching with the information we know they want and need, it ensures families can feel confident in the choices they make for their children."

"When evaluating schools, families often rely on the experiences of other parents, making satisfied families some of a school's strongest advocates," said Jon Deane, CEO of GreatSchools. "This survey shows that clear communication plays a major role in that satisfaction. Parents want a fuller understanding of what schools offer, and districts want to provide it. Our goal is to help connect those dots by enabling schools and districts to share that information on GreatSchools.org — a place where families are already looking for it."

To help districts share the information families are searching for, GreatSchools is launching Claim Your District, a new feature that allows district leaders to verify and manage their district's GreatSchools profile. Once claimed, districts can highlight programs and student supports, add context to published data, and provide a more complete picture of what their schools offer. The tool builds on GreatSchools' school-level claiming feature — already used by nearly one-third of schools nationwide — and creates an additional space where families can easily access the comprehensive information they value most.

To read the full survey report, click here.

About GreatSchools:
GreatSchools is the leading nonprofit providing high-quality information that supports parents pursuing a great education for their child, schools striving for excellence, and communities working to diminish inequities in education. We are the only national organization that collects and analyzes data from all 51 state departments of education and the federal government to provide analysis, insights, and school quality ratings for parents, partners, researchers, and policymakers. Nearly half of all K–12 families visit GreatSchools' award-winning website annually to learn about schools in their area, explore research insights, and access thousands of free, evidence-based parenting resources to support their child's learning and well-being. Learn more at GreatSchools.org and join us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.

SOURCE GreatSchools.org