The administrators understand the value of electronic school forms. The teachers understand that adopting technological advancements decrease their workload. Now that all the internal staff is on board, how do we get parents to buy into the idea of online permission slips?
The key is to make it as simple and barrier-free as possible. Here’s how to do just that.
It doesn’t matter how helpful our new system is - if it’s onerous, we’re facing an uphill battle. If we want parents to utilize online permission slips, we need to make sure they’re easy to understand and easy to sign. We need to make sure we work with a platform that’s user-friendly and doesn’t require a lengthy or difficult registration process. This causes parents to give up in frustration and reach for the classic pen-and-paper permission slip option.
Let’s face it - convenience often wins. If parents are automatically notified of online permission slips, they’ll be more likely to fill out the electronic forms than they would the traditional pen-and-paper forms. Plus, direct notification to parents increases the likelihood of them filling the forms out immediately. No more forms lost on the back-and-forth trek to school, or failure to return and submit the traditional forms that get sent home in the students’ folders. If we choose an electronic platform that allows for the immediate and easy notification of parents, it’s a win-win for everyone. Parents can give permission for their student at the click of a button, teachers have automatic internal tracking, and they can send effortless reminders to individuals who are missing authorization.
To get parents on board with online permission slips, create an electronic culture and move all other school forms online as well. Allow parents to register their kids online, fill out enrollment forms, enroll in extracurricular activities, and pay school fees via an online portal. The more parents are accustomed to completing school-related tasks online, the more likely they’ll be to complete online permission slips as well.
The more accessible our online forms are, the more drawn to them our parents will be. In many circumstances, electronic correspondence can be automatically translated using modern technology. Using a platform that automatically translates school forms from English into a parent’s native language increases the likelihood they will complete and return them in a timely manner.
If your school or district is ready to make the switch to electronic forms, ZippSlip can help make the process seamless - for both you and your parents. ZippSlip is the platform that handles it all, from enrollment to lunch menus, field trip permissions, and extracurricular schedules. With plans available for every district budget, ZippSlip resolves to take the “paper” out of “paperwork” and to help make life easier for admins, teachers, and parents. Contact them today to see how they can create a custom solution for you!
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