Finding the best questions for parents is crucial when creating a parent survey for school feedback. Collecting honest, well-rounded feedback helps schools understand what works and what needs attention.
We’ve compiled 25 essential questions covering communication, teaching quality, safety, and support services—key pillars for any educational environment.
You'll also see how AI follow-ups turn quick answers into actionable insights, giving schools an edge in making smart decisions that matter to families.
25 essential parent survey questions organized by category
These categories ensure you’re covering every angle that parents care deeply about. Each set mixes open-ended prompts and rating-based questions for more useful, nuanced responses.
Communication
How often do you receive information from your child’s school? [1]
How satisfied are you with the balance between standardized tests and other forms of learning? [2]
How effectively does the school communicate your child's academic progress?
Do you feel informed about school events and activities?
How accessible are school staff when you have questions or concerns?
How well does the school communicate its expectations for student behavior? [3]
Teaching Quality
How would you rate the overall quality of your child's teacher(s)? [2]
How confident are you in your ability to support your child's learning at home? [4]
How well do you think the curriculum prepares your child for their future? [2]
How effectively is technology integrated into your child's classroom? [2]
How much of a sense of belonging does your child feel at his or her school? [4]
How often do you wish you could talk with teachers at your child’s school? [4]
Safety
How safe does your child feel at school?
Are school rules and expectations for student behavior clear? [3]
How effectively does the school handle bullying incidents?
Are staff members positive and encouraging with all students? [3]
How well does the school manage emergency situations?
Do you feel the school provides a secure environment for learning?
Support Services
How adequate do you feel the resources at your child's school are? [2]
How well does the school support students with special needs?
How accessible are counseling services for students?
How effectively does the school promote mental health awareness?
How satisfied are you with the extracurricular activities offered?
How well does the school support remote or online learning? [2]
How would you rate your level of involvement in your child's education? [2]
Together, these questions provide schools with a robust framework for collecting meaningful parent feedback, supporting research that shows family engagement is closely correlated with student success and satisfaction. [1]
How AI follow-ups transform parent responses into deeper insights
Traditional surveys often miss context hidden in brief answers. Conversational surveys powered by AI—like those built with Specific's automatic follow-up feature—bridge this gap by instantly generating tailored follow-ups. Here’s how:
1. How often do you receive information from your child’s school?
"Can you share specific examples of the information you receive and how it’s delivered?"
Insight: Reveals preferred channels (email, SMS, app), frequency, and gaps in communication.
2. How confident are you in your ability to support your child's learning at home?
"What supports or resources would help you feel more confident?"
Insight: Surfaces resource gaps—like needing guides, language support, or online materials.
3. How effectively is technology integrated into your child's classroom?
"Are there particular tools or platforms you wish were used more or less?"
Insight: Pinpoints technology friction or missed opportunities, so teachers can adapt quickly.
4. How safe does your child feel at school?
"Are there specific locations or situations that feel less safe?"
Insight: Allows granular feedback on playgrounds, hallways, arrival/dismissal, or after-school care.
5. How well does the school support students with special needs?
"Can you describe a time the school addressed or didn’t address your student's needs?"
Insight: Captures real experiences that generic surveys rarely uncover, crucial for inclusion.
6. How satisfied are you with the extracurricular activities offered?
"What additional programs or clubs would you like to see?"
Insight: Informs budget and scheduling for new initiatives aligned with student interests.
7. Are staff members positive and encouraging with all students?
"Have you seen or heard examples of positive encouragement, or times when it felt lacking?"
Insight: Surfaces real stories, which the AI can later theme or summarize for staff training.
8. How well does the school manage emergency situations?
"Has your family experienced a drill or real emergency at the school? How did it go?"
Insight: Collects practical feedback on communication, procedures, and parental confidence in emergency planning.
9. How accessible are counseling services for students?
"Has your child or anyone you know tried to access these services? What was the experience?"
Insight: Goes beyond “yes” or “no” to discover systemic barriers or opportunities for improvement.
10. How would you rate your level of involvement in your child's education?
"What are the most effective ways the school invites parent involvement?"
Insight: Identifies which participation methods truly work—workshops, email, volunteering—and what could increase engagement.
With automatic AI follow-up questions, every answer becomes a jumping-off point for discovery. The conversational format not only feels natural but ensures responses are rich and actionable. Schools then use AI survey response analysis to spot trends, summarize findings, and prioritize next steps, saving hours on manual review.
Using NPS to measure overall parent satisfaction
The Net Promoter Score (NPS) question—"On a scale of 0-10, how likely are you to recommend our school to other parents?"—is a proven predictor of loyalty and advocacy. According to research, organizations with high NPS grow at more than twice the rate of their competition. [5]
Here’s how I break down the follow-up logic:
Promoters (9-10):
"What specific aspects of our school do you appreciate the most?"
Helps highlight school strengths and areas to celebrate.
Passives (7-8):
"What improvements would make you more likely to recommend our school?"
Surfaces actionable opportunities to move families toward advocacy.
Detractors (0-6):
"What issues or concerns influenced your rating?"
Illuminates critical pain points, allowing for rapid response and support.
Segment | Follow-up Example | What it Reveals |
Promoter (9-10) | What do you love most about the school? | Voices to amplify |
Passive (7-8) | What could make your experience even better? | Easy wins for improvement |
Detractor (0-6) | What concerns or issues need attention? | Risks and urgent fixes |
This approach gives you a pulse on satisfaction and clear direction for both celebration and intervention. To make this process seamless, try the AI survey generator from Specific to create and customize NPS surveys with smart follow-ups.
Quick tips for multilingual schools and tone customization
Multilingual support: Schools today welcome families from a wide range of linguistic backgrounds. Automatic language detection means parents can answer surveys in their preferred language—which increases participation and accuracy, especially in communities where English isn’t the primary language. For example, Spanish-speaking families can reply in Spanish without translators, parents can use their home language for sensitive topics, and newcomers feel more included from day one.
Tone settings: The way you ask questions sets the stage for honest feedback. Use a formal tone when asking about school policies, a warm and conversational voice for everyday satisfaction check-ins, and a neutral, gentle tone for sensitive or confidential topics regarding safety or support services. Specific’s survey engine auto-adjusts tone, so parents feel understood, respected, and safe in every situation.
For easy distribution that works beautifully across devices and platforms, try conversational survey pages—shareable links that parents can open instantly or save for later. No logins, barriers, or language headaches—just smooth, accessible feedback for every family.
Start collecting meaningful parent feedback today
Conversational surveys dig deeper and feel more approachable, helping you transform everyday parent feedback into true partnership. Create your own survey now and start building a stronger school community.