Post last updated 2/17/2022
We talk a lot about the ways online forms can bring necessary efficiency to higher education workflows, but there are just as many ways for K-12 schools to benefit from digital data collection—particularly in service to parents and students. Technology-enabled learning has been on the rise for years, and 50% of U.S. teachers now report a one-to-one student-to-device ratio. This means students and their parents are becoming accustomed to a digital landscape in education.
To provide a good experience for families traveling through your district, you have to offer the digital convenience they’ve come to know and expect. Take it from me: an online form builder can do the trick. Here are a few ways online forms for school can make life easier for students and parents (as well as faculty and staff):
Student Registration
Before students can attend a school in your district, they have to register. This can be a tedious process for parents (especially those with multiple children), so it’s good to offer as many upsides as possible—starting with an online school admission form.
Digitizing your registration paperwork allows parents to submit the necessary information on their own time using a computer, tablet, or mobile device. This fast-tracks the registration process, getting students into the system quicker so you can address their needs sooner.
School Tours
Every year, hundreds of students in your district are faced with starting a new school—whether they’ve just moved into the district or they are leveling up from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school. Organized school tours can help these students and parents get acquainted with their new school.
Managing tour sign-ups is a breeze with online forms. You can gather information on preferred tour type (individual vs. group), collect feedback on what to include in the tour, and even schedule a date for the tour right from the form. The form can also be set up to send an automatic confirmation email to parents so they have all the information they need to attend their scheduled tour.
Related: How to Make Your Virtual Campus Tours More Engaging
Transcript Requests
Every high school starts getting bombarded with transcript requests starting midway through the school year. If your staff has trouble keeping up, it may be time to consider revamping your transcript request system.
Eliminate long email chains, messy paperwork, and inefficient processes by replacing your current process with an automated transcript request system. Create a workflow that connects student, teachers, and back office staff through one streamlined, digital process. Build out a workflow that fits your school's need by starting with this transcript request form.
Elearning and Virtual Education
Elearning has become a normal happening through all K-12 institutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although many schools pivoted to this virtual education to address the needs of social distancing and controlling the spread of the virus, it's clear that eLearning is here to stay within the realm of K-12 education.
Going forward, eLearning days may be used to continue instruction during inclement weather, widespread illness, faculty professional development, or parent-teacher conferences. Online forms can assist with eLearning by giving students an easy way to track reading, submit assignments, or complete a digital quiz.
School Parking Permits
Many K-12 schools have limited parking spots, sometime requiring a specialized parking system to designate spots to students, staff, and/or parents. For high schools, creating a parking pass system is crucial to creating an organized parking process that makes getting in and out of school quick and easy.
Creating an online, mobile-friendly parking permit form makes it simple for students, staff, and parents to access the form when it is needed. This is especially helpful if your school offers temporary parking passes for sporting events, recitals, performances, graduation, or other special events.
Parental Consent
K-12 schools are no stranger to parental consent, considering the majority of students they serve are minors. From permission slips for field trips to a photo release form for students, parental consent forms are a must.
But students often struggle to keep track of paper permission slips between school and home, so online forms can be a lifesaver. An online form builder not only helps you supply parents with a reliable way to sign-off; it also helps you maintain organized, accessible consent records that won’t get lost on the school bus.
Teacher Evaluation
The older kids in your district no doubt have thoughts and opinions about their teachers. Give those students a voice by issuing a teacher evaluation form for students in high school. Teacher evaluations provide direct feedback on a teacher’s performance, so they are important to the success of your students.
You might also consider asking parents of younger students to complete a teacher evaluation form. Parents likely have good insights on how much their child is learning, how their child feels about his/her teacher, and more.
Bonus: Grab this parent feedback form to collect parent feedback and discover new ways to better meet the needs of your students.
Creating a good experience for students and parents is a top priority for most K-12 schools. Even with a tight budget, you can meet your goals by using a simple and versatile tool like an online form builder. Discover more helpful K-12 school form templates here.
