Enhancing school -home communication through technology in Christina School District

Considerable research shows that parental involvement in a child's education improves student achievement. Technology has enormous potential for improving communication between home and school, thereby increasing parental involvement and increasing student achievement. There is a great need for more effective technology-based communication between schools and homes in Christina School District. Without using technology effectively for school-home communication, the District may be overlooking a valuable set of resources that can help improve student achievement.;The author reviewed professional literature to understand the links between technology, school-home communication, parent involvement, and student achievement. The author also conducted parent and teacher surveys, and assessed teacher voice mail prompts. The recommendations include a plan for Christina School District based on the literature review and survey results. Asynchronous technologies such as autodialers, voice mail, e-mail and Web pages hold the most promise for enhancing school-home communication because they can help overcome barriers of time and distance. However, technology access and literacy affect the potential effectiveness of these tools.;The plan includes a timeline and cost estimates for implementing an autodialer, improving Web pages, maintaining voice mail systems, improving student information system features, and training teachers and administrators. The plan will be integrated into Christina School District's family and community engagement efforts. Elements of the plan will be useful to other schools and districts seeking to improve school-home communication.