Insights is a SmartBrief Education Originals column that features perspectives from noted experts and leaders in education on the hot-button issues affecting schools and districts. All contributors are selected by the SmartBrief Education editorial team.
When parents can’t easily find clear information about their child’s school, trust breaks down. A new national survey by GreatSchools of more than 1,000 K–12 parents reveals just how consequential this information gap has become — and how directly it affects parents’ confidence in their schools.
The data is striking: 74% of parents most likely to recommend their school report that relevant information is easy to find, compared with just 20% of parents unlikely to recommend it. This isn’t about parents wanting more data; it’s about whether the information they need is accessible when they need it.
What parents want to know
Parents’ search for information goes far beyond traditional outcomes metrics or student demographics. They want to know: What types of after-school clubs are offered? Which AP classes can my child take? Is financial assistance available for school meals? What are the transportation options? How will you prepare my child for college?
As schools face declining enrollment, expanding school choice policies, and increased competition, it’s critical that families — both enrolled and prospective — are able to navigate seamlessly to the information they need. Not only does it bolster trust, but it also allows districts to highlight what makes their schools exceptional.
That’s especially true as the survey also shows roughly 70% of parents turn to official school and district websites, as well as trusted third-party sites that aggregate school information, to understand what schools offer. Their varied experiences with how easy it is to navigate through each site and find the information they need tracks closely with their overall satisfaction with a school.
The significant correlation between recommending their child’s school and having the information they need suggests that improving the clarity, organization, and accessibility of information wherever families look could meaningfully strengthen parent satisfaction and their willingness to recommend the school to others.
Communication influences parent advocacy
The same goes for communication: Parents who were likely to recommend their school were also overwhelmingly (90%) “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with how the school communicated with them. In contrast, more than half of those unlikely to recommend their school reported dissatisfaction with communication, highlighting how strongly communication quality and overall satisfaction shape word of mouth and parent advocacy.
Importantly, clear, consistent communication not only influences how parents feel about a school — it shapes their perception of their children’s access to meaningful educational opportunities. Only 26% of parents who were likely to recommend their child’s school said they had missed an opportunity or deadline due to unclear communication. In stark contrast, 70% of parents unlikely to recommend their school reported missing at least one opportunity or deadline.
What schools and districts can do to help
For district communications teams, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. While parents often report inconsistent experiences finding the information they need, providing complete and comprehensive information — whether through a website, newsletter or social media platform — can be a differentiating factor. Leaders should not only prioritize updating “front-facing” websites, but also ensure third-party school information sites have the most recent school information.
It’s imperative that schools and districts are putting their best qualitative foot forward in all the places where parents are learning about what they have to offer, so that they are telling their own story in more than one place. Yes, the logistical info is important (does the school offer before care for parents who work early?), but the information shared should be designed for parents to get to know what makes schools unique.
Proactive communication across multiple channels isn’t just good practice; it’s essential to building and maintaining family trust. In a moment when families place a high degree of trust in the experiences of other parents, districts should recognize that satisfied parents are among their most powerful ambassadors for enrollment. Parents want straightforward, trustworthy information, and strong communication is a decisive factor in whether they feel confident, satisfied and willing to recommend their child’s school.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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