Written by Jordan Galerkin 
Parent involvement has always been essential to school and student success, but many K-12 schools still rely on outdated methods to manage it. From paper sign-in sheets to manual hour logs, these passive systems often frustrate both administrators and families. Today, forward-thinking schools are embracing parent engagement software to make participation easier, more transparent, and more impactful.
The Parent Engagement Evolution
With the rise of family-school partnership standards and service hour requirements, principals are expected to lead structured engagement initiatives. Yet even with clear parent expectations and volunteer opportunities, parent engagement can fall flat. When it comes down to actual program implementation, paper forms, free signups, and confusing systems create unnecessary friction.
Parent engagement software can solve this puzzle by centralizing all activities into one intuitive platform. With tools for tracking, reminders, verification, and reporting, schools can transform parent engagement into a streamlined, data-driven process.
We're highlighting three real schools that have gone from passive to proactive when it comes to parent engagement - just by implementing a software system for parent involvement.
Case Study: How NYOS Charter School Increased Parent Involvement by 3x
At NYOS Charter School in Austin, Texas, parent volunteerism was stagnant after COVID-19 restrictions. Involvement was at an all-time low, with 1,000+ enrolled students and just 42 active families volunteering. Community Outreach Specialist Blanca Martinez knew something had to change, starting with a more structured, transparent process. All parents were encouraged to volunteer at least 20 hours per year, but all the information on volunteering was kept in a physical notebook.
Track it Forward's parent engagement software created an easy way for volunteers to log their hours and view progress. Within one year of implementing the new system, NYOS tripled parent involvement with 200 active volunteers. The software made it simple for both staff and families to track involvement, increasing engagement and cultivating a more collaborative school environment.
“If anyone asked me, 'How did you get more volunteers this year than last year?', I would say having an actual app for them to use like Track it Forward was a big part of it," Blanca says.
Read the full case study here.
Case Study: How North Star Academy Promotes Parent Engagement by Reducing Barriers
North Star Academy is a charter school in Parker, Colorado with a commitment to excellence and parent engagement. The school has a clear service hour policy of 40 hours per school year per family, with awards to recognize parents who complete requirements. In addition, parents must complete a portion of their volunteer hours serving traffic duty for the school.
This detailed parent engagement program was being implemented manually, with paper forms, physical binders, and handwritten calculations. The process was becoming inefficient and time-consuming.
A program with this level of detail needs parent engagement software. That's when the search for a solution like Track it Forward began. Parents can log hours from their phones, admins can approve the hours, and everyone can see progress toward multiple requirements and awards.
Volunteer Coordinator Dawn was able to increase engagement overall by reducing barriers like confusing signups and lack of transparency. “The most important piece for me was making it easy as possible…for volunteers to use so they would be encouraged, not discouraged, from coming in and logging their hours," Dawn says.
Case Study: How Christ the King Catholic School Tracks the Impact of Parent Engagement
Christ the King Catholic School in Jacksonville, Florida is a K-8 school with a focus on faith and family participation. Tracking the impact of parent engagement is especially important for Christ the King school because there is a fee for non-participation. A clear understanding of which families are on track to complete hours was necessary for engagement reports and billing purposes.
Parent and staff member Liz Negron needed an easy way to track this impact and keep parents accountable. "With Track it Forward, you don't have to do the math. It's already [built for you]," she says. In addition, the Track it Forward integration with FACTS SIS makes rostering and reporting easier than ever. From event signups to requirements tracking, parent engagement software became a necessity for Liz and her school.
Read the full case study here.
#mce_temp_url#A Strategic Shift Toward Engaged School Communities
These schools show that the right tools don’t just track hours—they build stronger relationships between schools and families. With Track it Forward, principals can shift from passive systems to proactive strategies that promote parent engagement. Not only does our parent engagement software increase accountability and involvement, but it also allows schools to measure impact year over year.
Whether you're looking to increase parent participation, reduce administrative burden, or align with reporting requirements, parent engagement software can help your school evolve. Get more info on the Track it Forward solution here.