Positive, frequent communication from teachers improves family engagement

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Remind, a communication platform for education, today announced new survey results about the role of two-way communication in improving family engagement. The survey, which Remind conducted earlier this year, asked over 1,000 K-12 teachers and parents about their approach to family engagement and how they communicated about student progress.

Over 75 percent of surveyed teachers agreed that family engagement refers to "regular two-way, meaningful communication," a definition provided by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which requires public schools and districts to develop programs that facilitate communication between school and home. Furthermore, over 80 percent of teachers agreed that two-way communication with families leads to better student outcomes.

However, the survey also revealed that teachers often struggle to find the tools that allow them to communicate effectively with their students' families. Despite the federal requirements around family engagement, only 66 percent of teachers who don't use Remind said that they had the tools they needed for family engagement—compared to 86 percent of teachers who use Remind. Most Remind teachers also use between 1 and 3 communication channels to reach their students' families, while teachers who don't use Remind rely on upwards of 7 channels for communication.

Finally, survey results showed that with Remind, parents are more involved with their children's education and receive more positive communication. More parents prefer text messages for school communication over any other channel, and parents whose children's teachers use Remind typically hear from them 7 or more times a year. In comparison, non-Remind parents typically only hear from their children's teachers 1 to 3 times a year. Additionally, teachers who don't use Remind are twice as likely to characterize their communication with families as negative.

"At Remind, we've seen the difference that even the simplest, shortest messages can make on a child's education," said Remind CEO Brian Grey. "Communication has the potential to transform how everyone in a school community sets and achieves their goals together. That's what family engagement means, and that's what gives every student the opportunity to succeed."

For more information about using Remind to improve family engagement, visit remind.com/stories/family-engagement.

About Remind: Remind is a communication platform that helps every student succeed by allowing educators to reach students and parents where they are. With free and paid options that support engagement at every level in a school or district, Remind connects educators and families with resources that help them teach and learn. Founded in 2011, Remind is backed by First Round Capital, GSV Acceleration, Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, and Social Capital.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Liu
[email protected]

SOURCE Remind

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https://www.remind.com/