FinalForms Blog

Achieve 100% Form Compliance Before Day One!

Written by FinalForms Media | May 23, 2019 10:47:00 AM

We often receive the following question from district administrators, assistants, and secretaries:

"Do you have any suggestions to drive parent and student action based on your experience with so many districts?"

Excellent question! We understand the dilemma. School districts and athletic departments need specific information to ensure compliance with district policies. Even more important, this information may be used to ensure student safety throughout the day, on trips, and in extracurricular activities. The problem is: Parents are busy and might not realize just how easy it is to complete online forms.

We’re here to help!

We believe there are 3 steps to 100% form completion:

    1. COMMUNICATION
      Create a ‘Pre-Launch Checklist’ to ensure your Parents have the information and guidance they need.
      1. Distribute or post an introduction to online forms via:
        1. Email
        2. School & Athletics website ‘Forms’ page
        3. All-Call / Robo-Call
        4. Group Text Message
        5. Parent Night or Orientation
      2. Post step-by-step guidance on your:
        1. School & Athletics website ‘Forms’ page
      3. Announce or post the registration link via:
        1. School & Athletics website ‘Home’ page
        2. School & Athletics website ‘Forms’ page
        3. Any location where online or paper forms were in the past
        4. Parent Night or Orientation
        5. Email to Parents
        6. Email to Staff
        7. Email to Students
        8. On your email signature
        9. On your automatic reply

    2. ACCESS
      Make sure there are multiple options for Parents to complete forms.
      1. Ensure computer availability in a lab or library for Parents who may not have computers or mobile devices at home.
      2. Devote a kiosk in your lobby to FinalForms.
      3. Hold a forms signing day or night in August.
      4. Send paper instructions with Students that aren't compliant after the first day.
      5. Instruct homeroom teachers, activity leaders, or coaches to call Parents if Student is not compliant after the first week.

    3. ENFORCE
      Put teeth behind your requirement for form completion. Here are some policies we’ve heard about:
      1. Deny access to school issued technology
      2. Deny access to locker
      3. Deny access to parking passes
      4. Deny access to schedules
      5. Deny extracurricular club, activity, sport participation.
      6. Deny recess (seems harsh, but if you don't have Emergency Medical Information for a Student, recess can be a huge liability).
      7. Deny grade reports


In summary, achieving 100% form compliance can be a challenge… but, it’s not impossible. Trust us, we help hundreds of schools get to 100%. The FinalForms team, product, and service are designed to help you every step of the way!

Connect with one of our forms experts today!