K-12 Parents Want to Hear About Their Kid: Why Individualized School Updates Matter More Than Ever

Parents don’t just want to hear how the school is doing—they want to know how their child is doing. In today’s fast-paced world, meaningful and specific communication between schools and families is more than a nice-to-have; it’s essential. And the research backs this up.

A 2024 national survey by SchoolStatus revealed that 69% of families want updates at least weekly, with nearly half (48%) preferring daily communication about their child’s progress. Yet only about half of families feel they’re receiving information that frequently.

And it’s not just about academic performance. Parents are increasingly invested in their children’s social and emotional development too. According to a study in Frontiers in Psychology (2020), parents who receive regular, high-quality information about their child’s emotional and social wellbeing are more likely to engage in supportive behaviors at home that contribute to student success.

The Thomas B. Fordham Institute also found that individualized communication about a student’s learning was rated more important by parents than school-wide or district-wide updates. When families are well-informed about their child’s unique progress, they’re more likely to trust educators, engage in the learning process, and collaborate with teachers.

Despite this, a gap remains: many schools still rely heavily on mass emails, monthly newsletters, or generic app alerts—tools that, while useful for broad announcements, don’t meet parents’ desire for personalized insights.

Solved Consulting: Making Individualized Communication Easy and Scalable

This is where Solved Consulting steps in.

SOLVED’s custom school app allows K–12 teachers to share private, Instagram-style story updates directly with families. These aren’t just random snaps—teachers can quickly capture photos and videos of student work, collaborative group activities, gym or art class moments, and academic progress in action. Every update is tied to the individual student, ensuring parents see their child’s unique journey.

Whether it’s a snapshot of a group project, a photo of their child presenting in front of the class, or a quick note celebrating a breakthrough in reading comprehension, parents receive a window into the day-to-day learning that traditional progress reports often miss.

And because the app is built for ease of use, teachers can post updates quickly—without the burden of long-form documentation. This lowers the barrier for consistent, high-frequency sharing while maintaining depth and relevance.

The Future of Family Engagement is Personal

When schools adopt communication strategies that center the individual student experience, families feel more connected, students feel more supported, and teachers feel more aligned with the people cheering their students on at home.

By leveraging tools like SOLVED’s custom K-12 app, schools can finally bridge the gap between intention and execution—meeting parents where they are and showing them what they really want to see: their child thriving.

Sources Cited:

1. SchoolStatus (2024). National K-12 Communication Preferences Survey.
   
   
2. Frontiers in Psychology (2020). "School-Family Communication and Children’s Social-Emotional Development."
   
   
3. Thomas B. Fordham Institute. "Parents, Teachers, and School Leaders on Communication Priorities."
   
   
4. Edutopia. "Developing a Good Communication Plan With Students and Families."