District expands SchoolLinks use and integrates Common App; parent engagement remains low

District staff updated the board on implementation of the High School and Beyond Plan using the SchoolLinks platform and a new integration with the Common App for college document transfers.

The district began using SchoolLinks four years ago and expanded state-required assignments across grades 7 through 12. Staff told the board that this year the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction assigned standardized tasks across grade levels and the district has built an integration so SchoolLinks entries can transfer to the Common App to aid college applications.

Staff acknowledged low active parental participation in the platform: while roughly 80% of parents had at some point set up an account, only about 3% had actively used it. Presenters called that a priority for next year and outlined steps including school ATP family-engagement teams, media kits in Spanish and English, and automated reminders to students and guardians for overdue tasks.

Board members asked about specific measures and data collection; staff said they will track SAT/ACT and other college-prep metrics as part of board priorities and try to improve parent-facing value by surfacing actionable items such as graduation progress and application status. One board member suggested parents would find the Common App integration valuable because it allows parents to monitor the application process.