Parents say school communication decides whether they stay

A school's communication isn't a nice extra. For many families it's a deciding factor.

In a national survey of 1,031 K-12 parents by ParentSquare, a school communication company, and Hanover Research, fielded in July and August 2026, 63% said school communication affected their decision to stay at a school, 56% said it influenced whether they'd recommend it, and 50% said it shaped their decision to enroll. When parents ranked what matters in choosing a school, accessibility of communication (86%) sat right alongside safety (94%), quality of teachers (92%) and academic performance (89%).

The good news: 85% of parents trust school communication and 81% find it relevant. The gap is personalization, at 68%, the lowest score in the set.

A separate Alchemer survey of 474 parents found the same theme from another angle. Only 36% say they're asked for feedback "very often," and in Alchemer's words, "Nearly one in three parents feel their input goes into a void."

Why it matters for schools: with enrollment falling in many districts, clear, timely, personal updates on your website and app are part of how you keep families. This is exactly the problem Schoolz is built to solve.

Sources: ParentSquare and Hanover Research survey · Alchemer 2026 K-12 Parent Trust Report summary