San Francisco, CA, February 2, 2026 b (b ( As K-12 districts face increasing pressure to communicate clearly, consistently in increasingly complex school systems, ClassDojo today announced the release of the ClassDojo 2026 District Communication Playbook for Districts: What Every K-12 Leader Needs to Know, District Leaders to Modernize Communication, Strengthen Family Trust, and Align Schools A new resource has been developed to help improve the bond.
District communications have changed dramatically in recent years. Families expect a trusted location and real-time updates in their home language. Teachers are navigating multiple tools and competing demands. And district leaders are expected to maintain visibility, oversight and consistency across hundreds of classrooms and campuses.
The new playbook was created to address this reality, drawing on the insights of districts across the country to provide a clear, system-wide approach to communication that supports families, teachers and students alike.
“Communication today isn’t just operational — it’s fundamental to trust, connection and district credibility,” said Dr. Chad A. Steven, head of development and partnerships at ClassDojo. “District leaders are being asked to do more with fewer resources, while expectations for transparency and safety continue to rise. This playbook reflects what we’re seeing at work in districts and offers a practical path that leaders can truly follow.”
A district-wide framework for modern communication
At the heart of the playbook is the District Communication Framework, which identifies three pillars essential to district-wide communication: visibility, engagement and safety. Together, these elements help districts move beyond fragmented messaging toward a more unified, predictable experience for families and staff.
The Playbook explores how districts can:
- Gain visibility into communication in schools without adding work for teachers.
- Engage families and students with clear, accessible and consistent messaging.
- Create proactive safety structures that support staff and protect students.
Rather than focusing on abstract theory, the guide pairs strategic guidance with real district stories, showing how strong communication systems contribute the most to district outcomes including trust, rapport, attendance, and staff retention.
“Before we established a unified communication approach, families were receiving messages from multiple platforms, making it difficult to know what information really mattered,” said Dr. Kimberley Thompson-Hairston, director of instructional technology and public information officer for Stokes County Schools, Danbury, N.C. “By creating a clear framework, we’ve brought consistency to schools, leveraging a platform families trust, and that allows our leaders to better support campuses and respond more effectively to what they need.”
Practical tools districts can use immediately
In addition to strategic insights, the 2026 District Communication Playbook includes ready-to-use tools designed for quick application, including district checklists, message templates, and communication planning prompts. These resources are intended to help districts move from reactive messaging to more intentional, system-wide communication habits without adding new burdens for teachers.
“District leaders told us they don’t just need ideas. They need tools to use tomorrow,” Stevens added. “This playbook is designed to support real workflows and real barriers, while helping districts build communication systems.”
Where communication and district reputation are intertwined
The playbook also points to a growing disconnect between district communications and public perception, as families and communities increasingly judge school systems based on the clarity, consistency and tone of their communications. When messages feel fragmented or hard to find, trust is eroded — even when strong work is happening inside classrooms. Conversely, districts with unified communication systems are better positioned to improve the level of positive stories, identify cells early and build long-term trust with families.
The 2026 District Communications Playbook is now available as a free resource for district leaders, communications teams, and school administrators. To download the playbook or learn more about Class Dojo for Districts, visit their website.
About Class Dojo
Class Dojo is on a mission to give every child an education they love. Used in 95% of US schools, ClassDojo helps teachers and families build strong school communities through everyday communication. ClassDojo is a unified communication and engagement platform for districts that brings classroom updates and district-wide messaging into one seamless experience, helping families feel connected, students stay engaged, and school culture grow stronger. Built with privacy at its core and available in the districts at no extra cost.
