Key takeaways
- Increase parent participation in school surveys by emphasizing clear communication, personalized requests, and timely reminders, demonstrating the importance of their feedback in improving the educational experience for their children.
- Collaborate with parent organizations and school staff, follow up with transparent updates, and build trust with parents to effectively boost survey participation rates and showcase the value of their input in driving meaningful change within the school community.
School surveys are vital to understanding what's going on within your school and the wider community, but getting parents on board to take these surveys can be tricky. Time constraints, perception of impact, and survey style or format are a few reasons why it may be difficult.
Though challenging, with the right strategies, you can increase participation rates. Here are nine approaches to encourage parents to complete school surveys:
1. Clear communication
Clearly communicate the purpose and importance of the survey to parents. Explain how their feedback will directly contribute to improving the educational experience for their children. If available, provide them with an example of how prior parent feedback aided in change.
2. Multiple communication channels
Utilize various communication channels to reach parents, such as emails, newsletters, text messages, social media platforms, and even traditional paper-based communication. Make sure the messages are concise, engaging, and easily understandable.
3. Timing and reminders
Consider the timing of the survey. Avoid busy periods such as holidays or around major school events. Send reminders before the survey deadline to encourage parents who may have overlooked the initial request.
4. Personalized approach
Address parents individually and make the survey feel like a personalized request rather than a generic message. Personalize the communication by using the parent's name and highlighting the specific areas where their feedback is valued.
5. Explain the survey process
Inform parents that the survey is short, concise, and easy to complete. Then, let them know what happens after taking the survey or when to expect results.
6. Translations for different languages
If your school has a diverse population of parents who speak different languages, inform them there are survey translations to accommodate their needs.
7. Collaborate with parent organizations
Partner with parent-teacher associations (PTAs) or other parent organizations to help promote the survey and encourage participation. Leverage their networks and influence to spread the message effectively.
8. School-wide initiatives
Involve teachers, administrators, and staff in promoting the survey. Please encourage them to discuss the importance of the survey during parent-teacher conferences, school events, and meetings.
9. Follow-up and transparency
Once the survey is completed, provide updates to parents regarding the results and the actions taken based on their feedback. This demonstrates transparency and reinforces the notion that their input is valued and leads to impactful change.
Remember, building trust and fostering a positive relationship with parents is paramount. When you implement these strategies and show parents how much their feedback matters, you'll be sure to see a boost in survey participation rates.
Author: Whitney Ballantine
Posted: 06 Jul 2023
Estimated time to read: 3 mins
