SchoolCNXT

SchoolCNXT is a messaging app for teachers, administrators, and parents. Once a school or district subscribes to the service, parents can use their school-provided access code to log in, create an account, and start communicating with teachers, administrators, and other parents. Meanwhile, teachers can set up their classes and plan to send notices to all parents or to groups of parents within their classes. Messages are then delivered to parents' mobile phones, where the messages can automatically be translated into more than 80 languages. Messages also can automatically be read aloud on the device, a boon to visually impaired parents and parents with limited literacy skills. 

In addition to the app for Android and iOS, teachers, parents, and administrators can visit the developer's website to access an extensive library of how-to videos. This wealth of resources includes video playlists, frequently asked questions, and even seasonal "clip art" to use in messages.

It's appealing that this developer emphasizes parent engagement: Unlike some other communication apps, SchoolCNXT doesn't claim to become your one and only communication tool. Instead, the focus here is meaningfully engaging with parents and finding ways to reach them effectively. SchoolCNXT's edge might be its translation and text-to-speech features; it's terrific that the app will automatically translate messages into so many languages and also read text aloud. These features could make a huge difference in helping to engage parents for whom reading messages in English might have been a barrier to access. The app could be improved by the addition of templated or pre-populated messenger features so teachers know to use a specific feature for a type of announcement, like a bake sale sign-up. Overall, this app's look and feel may not be as flashy as some others, but it's a solid choice for bridging the gap between home and school.