The second of two items from the folks at IES that may be of interest to readers.

REL Webinar: Using Text Message Initiatives for Parent Engagement How do schools, districts, and states use text messages to engage parents in their children’s education? Research has shown that messaging via text can successfully change behavior and that increased parental involvement can lead to children experiencing better academic, behavioral, and social outcomes, as well as schools receiving better ratings on measures of climate and culture. Parents also report better attitudes about their children’s education when they are more engaged. This webinar will feature recent research conducted by REL Southwest, the American Institutes for Research (AIR), and the Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center and firsthand perspectives on using text messaging strategies for parent engagement and outreach: Candace Hester, PhD, of REL Southwest will discuss a parent communications study REL Southwest is conducting in Arkansas Anja Kurki, PhD, of AIR will discuss research findings and strategies related to texting parents to improve student attendance Hadley Bachman of Ohio Statewide Family Engagement Center will discuss research on texting middle school parents Dunya Minoo and Kelli Mitchell from Portland Public Schools in Oregon will share their experiences with using text messaging for parent outreach in their district This webinar is designed for school district administrators and state education agency staff. Using Text Message Initiatives for Parent Engagement May 19, 2022 3:00–4:30 p.m. Central Time Register here ***** The Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) build the capacity of educators to use data and research to improve student outcomes. Each REL responds to needs identified in its region and makes learning opportunities and other resources available to educators throughout the United States. The REL program is a part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education. To receive regular updates on REL work, including events and reports, follow IES on Facebook and Twitter. To provide feedback on this or other REL work, email Contact.IES@ed.gov. The Institute of Education Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the nation’s leading source for rigorous, independent education research, evaluation, statistics, and assessment.

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