Most teachers know just how difficult it can be to keep students engaged. But getting their parents on board can be just as challenging.
To foster an ideal learning environment in your school, it’s important to bridge communication gaps between parents, teachers, and students.
So how do we go about engaging all participants in education? Technology, of course!
With consumer tech taking over the classroom, school management apps that focus on increasing parent communication are filling an essential niche in education.
In this article, we take a closer look at some of the most important benefits student management apps can offer schools. We also outline:
- What school management apps are
- How parent involvement leads to student success
- Why parents and students benefit from school management apps
- How apps like Teach ’n Go improve engagement
Quick takeaway: Apps remove friction—faster communication, clearer expectations, and instant access to schedules, attendance, grades, and updates.
Firstly, what are school management apps?
As more and more people rely on mobile devices, the market for school management apps has grown significantly in recent years.
These school management platforms streamline communication between schools and parents and give everyone involved in your teaching business access to important information whenever they need it.
Some features of school apps include:
- Tools that allow parents to monitor and track their children’s performance
- Messaging channels for easy communication between the school and parents
- File-sharing so teachers can exchange images and videos with parents
- School fee payment channels
- Tools to manage classes more easily
School management apps have also become particularly popular due to the increase in demand for remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last two years have taught us that collaboration and ongoing communication are fundamental to education.
Whether you’re learning remotely or in-person, there needs to be meaningful interaction between teachers, students, and their parents.
These interactions can be facilitated with the right technology—this is where a parent-teacher communication app can come in handy.
How parent involvement leads to student success
A meta-analysis of more than fifty studies on the involvement of parents in high schools found a direct correlation between parent involvement and students' academic performance.
It also found that the earlier parents invest in their children’s education, the more likely it is that they will succeed.
According to the National Education Association, students whose parents are actively engaged in their schooling typically show the following:
1. Improved academic performance
Studies confirm that students whose parents are actively involved in their education show the highest academic performance.
The most effective forms of parent involvement are those where parents engage directly with their children on learning activities in the home, such as:
- Reading to/with their children
- Supporting their children with homework and assignments
- Tutoring using materials and instructions provided by teachers
2. Improved social skills, behavior, and adaptability
Parental involvement in education also has a strong and positive effect on children’s classroom behavior and can help improve their social skills.
In 2017, Columbia University conducted a study on middle and high school parents. They sent weekly, automated alerts to parents about their child’s missed assignments, grades, and class absences.
The alerts reduced course failures by 28%, increased class attendance by 12%, and increased student retention.
This shows that students are more motivated when parents and teachers are in communication. It leads to:
- A boost in the student’s self-esteem
- An improvement in their attitude towards school
- Less disobedience
- Healthier peer and teacher relationships
- Reduced inappropriate classroom behavior
3. Higher likelihood of pursuing tertiary education
Parental involvement can influence whether students want to continue studying after school.
A Summit Public Schools report suggests parent engagement helps students in their decision-making about tertiary education when there is:
- Shared educational values
- Active means of family support
- Access to positive role models
4. Improved teacher performance
When parents have better communication with teachers, they’re more aware of the challenges that teachers face and learn to value their work.
Not only does this help teachers feel more appreciated, but it can also lead to educators teaching in a more personalized and effective manner.
All research points to the same conclusion: parental engagement makes a significant difference in academic achievements.
The benefits of using parent-teacher apps for school management
The main purpose of an online school management system should be to encourage active engagement and streamline parent-teacher communication.
We’re living in a fast-paced world. Between balancing work and family, parents face many challenges in participating in their children’s education.
Pew Research Center conducted a survey asking working parents how balancing work and family had affected their careers:
- 27% said being a working parent made it harder to advance in their career
- 38% reported it made it harder to be a good parent
Some of the common barriers that prevent parents from engaging are:
- A lack of time
- A lack of knowledge to help with schoolwork
- Native language differences between parents and staff
Time-saving
Despite busy schedules, parents should be able to communicate with teachers from anywhere. School management apps keep them in the loop using simple communication tools.
Effective, speedy communication
Two-way messaging lets parents contact teachers with questions, and teachers can update parents on changes—homework, teaching processes, or field trips.
Quick and effortless access
Mobile-friendly apps allow parents to access their child’s information anytime their schedule allows.
Encourage engagement
By keeping parents aware of what’s going on at school, they feel more like active participants in their children’s education.
Stay on top of things
Keep parents on track with events, meetings, announcements, policies, fees, and exam schedules.
Access information about their child at the touch of a button
Parents and teachers can chat about performance and track attendance through the app. Push notifications help parents stay aware of homework, too.
Send documents online
Instead of visiting the school, parents can submit leave applications online through the app.
Increasing student engagement with technology
Here’s the thing about student engagement: engaged students grow into active learners.
With technology becoming part of everyday life, it makes sense to mix traditional teaching with modern tech tools. Schools that use technology efficiently are better positioned to meet students’ changing needs.
The benefits of using a school management app for students
Students use their smartphones for almost everything. Having timetables and school information one click away makes them more likely to stay connected to learning.
Common barriers include:
- Social barriers: Students may disengage if they feel isolated or can’t interact enough with educators.
- Administrative barriers: Students may not know how or when to contact teachers with questions.
- Motivation barriers: A lack of support or encouragement can reduce motivation.
School management apps help students:
Manage their time more effectively
Students have 24/7 access to timetables, homework, and resources.
Get answers in seconds
Students can message the school anytime for help with questions or homework.
Keep track of the latest updates
Students can check the app for announcements, exam schedules, holidays, and more.
How school management apps improve parent and student engagement
We’re living in a world where we use mobile phones for everything, so technology is key to getting things done and making connections.
#1. Enhance student-teacher collaboration
Collaboration should go beyond the classroom. A mobile app enables teachers to stay in touch and gives students the freedom to reach out when they need help.
💡 Teach ’n Go tip: Manage homework and communication through the app for constant interaction and feedback—anywhere, anytime.
#2. Provide access anytime, on the go
Paper notifications are easy to miss. Apps deliver key information directly to parents and students, saved in one place and accessible anytime.
💡 Teach ’n Go tip: Teach ’n Go is cloud-based with mobile access on iOS and Android, so parents can view performance, attendance, and calendars from any device.
#3. Bring parents, students, and schools closer
Engaged parents help students stay engaged. Dedicated portals keep everyone aligned and improve transparency around schedules, attendance, and progress.
💡 Teach ’n Go tip: Parents and students can access class schedules, attendance, behavior data, coursework, and grades—supporting collaboration between families and teachers.
#4. Keep everybody on the same page
Push notifications and messaging tools keep your community updated about meetings, schedule changes, closures, and announcements.
💡 Teach ’n Go tip: Send updates by email or SMS to specific groups—parents, teachers, or entire classes—so everyone stays informed.
👋 Over to you
Communication apps are helping break down barriers that have limited parent engagement in the past.
School management apps keep parents and students on top of what’s going on—from homework and events to last-minute updates and due fees.
Not to mention, using a direct and instant teacher-parent communication app can save everyone a lot of time and money.
Teach ’n Go offers all the strengths of a school and classroom management tool:
- Mobile-friendly access to portals and information—anywhere, anytime
- Group messaging that keeps parents and students updated
- Tools that support collaboration across your school community
Want to start engaging your parents and students? Get in touch with us today to book a demo or enjoy your 7-day free trial.
