(Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness.)

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Every year, schools need parents and guardians to complete and send back dozens of important forms and permission slips—from media release forms to field trip sign-ups, from FRL applications to Impact Aid Program family surveys. Paper forms are inefficient and slow (especially during the pandemic), attachments are challenging for tech-shy parents, and digital standalone forms aren’t much better. And all cause administrative inconveniences when the time comes to chase down responses and analyze results.

With the ParentSquare online Forms and Permission Slips feature, teachers and staff save time by electronically creating and sending permission slips to parents, straight from their existing communications platform. Not only does this feature ensure parents actually receive important documents, but they can also electronically sign permission slips or forms with just a few clicks.

A Snapshot of Online Forms and Permission Slips:

Creating and Customizing Your Forms

• Add multiple-question formats to your form
• Enable digital signatures and customize consent text
• Accept fees and payments online with your permission slips
• Use pre-built, K-12 specific templates
• Share forms district-wide in a repository
• Leverage built-in translation capabilities
• Use existing distribution lists for classes, grade level, school, teacher, group, etc.

Capturing Responses

• Mark completed forms manually for tech-shy parents
• Send reminders to non-respondents only
• Allow parents to submit attachments along with their form
• Districts can send a form to all district families allowing schools to manage responses for their own site
• School staff can complete a form on behalf of a parent

Analyzing and Using Results

• Delete individual form submissions
• View, print, and export a report of all signed forms and permission slips

Here’s a Deeper Dive Into the Capabilities:

Add Multiple-Question Formats to the Form

Choose whether you would like your parents to respond by short answer, paragraph, selecting one answer, selecting multiple answers, or by providing a date. This will allow you to gather tailored information to ensure that you have everything you need.

Customize Signature Consent Text

We understand that every school district has its own legal consent text. Simply send us the legal text your school district uses and we’ll add it to your district’s main legal text.

Accept Fees and Payments Online

Collect fees and payments online to help parents save time.

Pre-built Templates

Choose from a variety of pre-built templates for popular K-12 use cases, so you can create any form or permission slip in minutes.

Store All Forms in the Repository

Store and manage all created forms in one central location. This allows administrative assistants and teachers to easily pull and send all forms out. Districts can also share forms with all their school sites.

Built-in Translation Capabilities

When you send out your form or permission slip to your entire target audience, you can auto-translate the form into the languages supported by your school—eliminating the need to create separate forms in different languages.

Mark Completed Forms Manually

Have parents who have submitted a paper permission slip? No problem! Mark completed forms manually on ParentSquare to accurately keep track of those who have not submitted a form in-person or online.

Send Reminders to All Users Who Have Not Submitted a Completed Form

With the click of a button, send a reminder to all parents who have not submitted a completed form.

Attachments with Form Submission

Allow parents to send attachments as needed with any form submission.

View, Print, and Export a Report of All Signed Forms and Permission Slips

Need to take a hard copy of the completed forms with you? Easily view, print, and export a report of all signed forms and permission slips to take with you.

Delete Individual Form Submissions

If a parent accidentally submits a form incorrectly, admins, principals, the form’s author, or the person who submitted the form can easily delete it.

With evolving learning scenarios, it’s never been more essential that schools and districts have secure, electronic ways of getting administrative tasks done. And, as many districts and schools transition back to in-person learning this fall, they can continue to utilize this feature to save time and streamline their forms and permission slips processes.