Research overwhelmingly demonstrates that parent involvement in children's learning is positively related to achievement. It shows that the more intensively parents are involved in their children's learning, the more beneficial are the achievement effects. This holds true for all types of parent involvement in children's learning and for all types and ages of students. The following 3 school districts have used enewsletters, parent notification systems, and enhanced web sites to increase their parental involvement.

Using the Right Tools, the Right Way
There are so many ways technology can help school districts reach out its to parents.  By using an automated phone system, the Fort Osage SD are able to know reach large masses and know exactly who they are reaching.  They are able to connect to targeted groups and deliver more specified information to them.  The phone system has helped them stay in contact with their parents and stay up-to-date on contact information.  Through using the systems text messaging capabilities, the Fort Osage school district can reach more parents and students, especially Jr. High and High School students.  Through their email system, they can reach out to the community and to alumni who are willing to donate time and finances to the Fort Osage School District.  In order to really become an electronic school district, all parents must be able to access the information.  The school district has set hours when parents can access the school computer labs and use them if they do not have a computer at home. Ultimately, the districts goal is to give parents the choice to receive information how they want to receive communication.
Stephanie Smith, Director of Public Relations
Fort Osage School District, MO

Using Notification Systems to Connect to Community Groups
A common problems with parents now days, is thinking their only job is to bring their child to school.  Through their phone system, the Moreno Valley Unified School District is using its parent notification system to increase communication and involvement with its parents.  The phone system allows them to reach parents regarding lunch payments, grade updates, and absences.  No matter they type of message, the Moreno Valley Unified SD are able to send it out in either English or Spanish to accommodate the different demographics in their area. 
Scott Johnson, Director of Public Relations
Moreno Valley Unified, CA

Keeping People "In the Know"
Enewsletters are a rising form of success for districts all across the nation.  By implementing the enewsletter, the Nixa R-2 SD has been able to gain support and implement several other ideas.  It has changed they way in which their district  views communication.  Their enewsletter is called, Quick News, and the idea is to get people news quickly!  The content is 100 words or less, comes out on Mondays and Thursdays, and contains any information that is a must know for the community.  Any parent, teacher, business, or news station is able to build the content of the enewsletter.  They combined forces with their chamber of commerce to raise awareness and send out the enewsletter to multiple businesses.  They have had many people tell them they are reading it when its posted at local businesses and on community walls.  Zac Rantz was proud to announce the community saying of, "If I need to know it, it will be in Quick News."  This statement gives confirmation that the community believes in the enewsletter and awaits the information they will gain from it.
Zac Rantz, Communication Coordinator
Nixa R-2 School District, MO

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