Pittsburgh Public School District Communication Strategies

This document is a report detailing the communication strategies employed by the Pittsburgh Public School District, the second-largest district in Pennsylvania, which serves over 20,000 students. The report outlines the challenges faced by the district during the pandemic, particularly the urgent need to distribute technology to students and the limitations of traditional communication methods. It highlights the adoption of texting as a crucial tool for reaching families effectively. The report also discusses the importance of post-pandemic engagement, especially for families with language barriers. It presents the impact of the TalkingPoints platform, which facilitates two-way communication through instant translated text messages in over 145 languages. The report notes significant increases in message exchanges and emphasizes the positive effects on student academic and attendance outcomes, particularly for historically underserved groups. The document concludes with insights from district officials on the importance of maintaining engagement with families through these communication strategies.