Why Engaging Families is Important
Schools and districts working with Panorama Education achieve the highest family response rates by establishing touch points with families before, during and after the survey window. To help you get started, we recommend checking out our survey communications toolkit for engaging families! In it, you'll find helpful information about our surveys as well as templates for email communication to families: Communications Toolkit for Panorama Family Surveys
Below you will find a list of more strategies that our schools and districts have found most successful in increasing family response rates.
Note: many of the following strategies have an accompanying resource; click on the link to download the resource!
Take Action
Before Families Take Surveys
- Send pre-notifications about the survey: emails, phone calls, school newsletters, backpack letters home, posters in schools, or announcements at school and community events.
- Establish clear incentives for participation upfront - some schools have even offered a small prize for classes with the highest response rates! You can also measure the most growth of responses from the previous school year.
- Communicate why the survey matters and how the results will be used - why is it important for families to provide feedback to their schools?
- Engage with your families and build excitement using the Survey Communications Toolkit for Family Surveys.
- Leverage Social Media: Use your school's social media platforms to promote the survey. Share posts, stories, and updates that highlight the importance of family feedback.
While Families Are Taking Surveys
- Make use of multiple mediums for families to take the survey: email families directly and have computers available at widely-attended school or community events.
- Provide Technical Support: Offer assistance for families who may have difficulty accessing or completing the survey online or an FAQ page on your website to address any technical issues.
- Provide progress updates to schools: post a "progress thermometer" in each school, send regular update emails to school liaisons and teachers, and provide teachers with a list of children with outstanding surveys.
After Families Have Completed Surveys
- Celebrate Milestones: Recognize and celebrate when certain participation thresholds are met (e.g., 50%, 75%, 100%).
- Close the loop by sharing the survey results with your families and discuss next steps being taken in response to the feedback.
- Increase visibility of data to families by posting results on your school website, in community newsletters, or in emails home.
- Demonstrate how your school or district values feedback by communicating how you will take action on the survey results
Additional Resources
Learn more about how La Cañada Unified School District improved visibility within their community, and read our blog post on the best time of day to send surveys.
To download this list of strategies, click here.