While there are quite a few problems looming over the end of the 2021 school year, student attrition is near the top of them. Student attrition, or the reduction of students in classes, is affecting classroom enrollment nationwide. From kindergarten to high school, from our rural classrooms to our big cities, our public schools are all experiencing some form of a drop in enrollment. And for many districts, that drop might be deafening.

NPR recently reported that Los Angeles Unified School District has lost over 11,000 students since the start of the pandemic. LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the country and they are not alone in this trend of losing students. But why are students leaving public schools?

Many families are opting to send their students to private schools because of the growing number of private schools offering in-person and hybrid programs. Many families feel there is a lack of communication in distance learning and a disconnect between the education they want for their children and the one they are actually receiving. (Kamenetz, Trevino , & Bakeman , 2020) So what can we as educators do to turn this around?

The answer may be in more candid and clear communication. Communication apps, like Bloomz, allow the students, parents, teachers, and school community to be connected in ways like never before. Bloomz is readily available to families regardless of the device they are using or whether they need a web-based program or an app. This makes it accessible for all families regardless of socioeconomic status. Bloomz is also easy to use for teachers. Teachers can take a picture, a video, or post an alert and parents will receive it instantly through text, app notification or email. This keeps parents connected and in the loop to the ongoings of the school day. If families feel more involved with distance learning they are less likely to leave the school.

Many parents find distance learning to be confusing. When there are multiple modes of communication and areas to submit work, things easily get lost in the shuffle. This loss and disconnect can push families away. This is where apps like Bloomz come in. Bloomz is all-encompassing and has features such as communication, parent-teacher conference sign-ups, assignments & student portfolios, and behavior management. With all these features in one place, it makes it easier for both parents and students to manage distance learning or the transition back to in-person learning. When things are easier and communication is clear, our teachers, families, and students are all happier and more connected to the school. Perhaps it is time to stop the drop in enrollment and save the 2021 school year with better communication and an app like Bloomz.

Resources:

• Kamenetz, A., Trevino, M. A., & Bakeman, J. (2020, October 9). Enrollment Is Dropping In Public Schools Around the Country. NPR. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2020/10/09/920316481/enrollment-is-dropping-in-public-schools-around-the-country
• Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/PDRFeeDniCk