Is Innovation Outpacing Insight: Why Schools Need Policy to Address Communication Practices with Parents

While the bond between teachers and students continues to remain at the center of any quality education, of late technology has played an expanding role in reshaping instruction, daily operations, facilities management, as well as communication within and outside of schools. As it would happen, much of the innovation education increasingly relies upon is actually driven by designers and distributors largely responding to market forces more so than educational pedagogy, research or policy. This research-based policy-centered article concerns itself with how well educational leaders have kept up with technological innovation, including how communication has or has not been addressed from a school governance standpoint. Specifically, it presents direct findings from a newly completed study in Arizona that focused on parent perceptions and the implications of digitally-based communication efforts between schools and home. This original research was limited to Arizona, though it revealed multiple areas where policy may easily overlook important elements of the bond between educators and parents in addition to legal requirements tied to federal funds. Ultimately this article advances important policy and practice considerations aimed at helping to ensure a quality working relationship with parents and guardians.