Are there text message privacy laws for schools?

There are. The two main regulations to keep in mind when it comes to privacy and texting are the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The FERPA act simply states that a student's information should be kept private. In other words, only those who have a legitimate need to see the student's data should be able to. FERPA regulations do not apply to prospective students. TCPA laws are much broader. They are not specific to education and apply to everyone, whether they're current students, parents, alumni, or even school applicants. It's also a best practice to keep all regulations currently in place for phone call and email communications and apply them to all texting communications as well. You can read more about these laws here.

How can text messaging improve our school's communication?

Text messaging creates a direct line to parents, students, and staff that's actually read. With a 98% open rate, your important messages get seen quickly, unlike emails that get buried in inboxes or voice messages that go unchecked. Text-Em-All helps you communicate schedule changes, emergency notifications, event reminders, and daily updates in a format people prefer. Our platform tracks delivery so you know exactly who received your message, making it the most reliable way to ensure critical information reaches your school community.

What types of messages can schools send through Text-Em-All?

Our platform works for all kinds of school communications - from emergency alerts and weather closings to routine reminders. You can send updates about schedule changes, coordinate parent-teacher conferences, remind students about upcoming assignments, notify about athletic events, send fundraising information, fill substitute teaching positions, or broadcast campus security alerts. The system works wonderfully for both everyday communication and those urgent situations when you need to reach everyone immediately.

What makes Text-Em-All different from other texting services for schools?

We've designed Text-Em-All specifically with schools in mind. Our platform combines powerful mass messaging capabilities with user-friendly interfaces that don't require technical expertise. We offer detailed delivery tracking so you know who received your messages, two-way conversation capabilities for meaningful engagement, automated opt-out management to maintain compliance, and reliable service that works when you need it most. Unlike generic messaging platforms, we understand the unique communication challenges schools face and provide features that address those specific needs.

TEXTING FOR SCHOOLS

Communicate beyond the classroom

We help teachers, educators, and faculty share important information that results in student success, school safety, and informed families.

This is not a service for students looking to message friends or parents.

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Simple messaging tools that anyone can use

Text-Em-All's text messaging service for schools is the perfect solution for all emergency and day-to-day school notification needs. Quickly notify staff, parents, and students in just minutes and track who’s received your messages with our easy-to-use software.

Here are some good ideas:

School closures

Substitute messaging

Severe weather

On-campus emergencies

Schedule changes

Early dismissal

Rumor control

Meeting reminders

Policy reminders

Frequently asked questions

Are there text message privacy laws for schools?

There are. The two main regulations to keep in mind when it comes to privacy and texting are the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).

The FERPA act simply states that a student's information should be kept private. In other words, only those who have a legitimate need to see the student’s data should be able to. FERPA regulations do not apply to prospective students.

TCPA laws are much broader. They are not specific to education and apply to everyone, whether they're current students, parents, alumni, or even school applicants. It's also a best practice to keep all regulations currently in place for phone call and email communications and apply them to all texting communications as well.

You can read more about these laws here.
How can text messaging improve our school's communication?

Text messaging creates a direct line to parents, students, and staff that's actually read. With a 98% open rate, your important messages get seen quickly, unlike emails that get buried in inboxes or voice messages that go unchecked. Text-Em-All helps you communicate schedule changes, emergency notifications, event reminders, and daily updates in a format people prefer. Our platform tracks delivery so you know exactly who received your message, making it the most reliable way to ensure critical information reaches your school community.
What types of messages can schools send through Text-Em-All?

Our platform works for all kinds of school communications - from emergency alerts and weather closings to routine reminders. You can send updates about schedule changes, coordinate parent-teacher conferences, remind students about upcoming assignments, notify about athletic events, send fundraising information, fill substitute teaching positions, or broadcast campus security alerts. The system works wonderfully for both everyday communication and those urgent situations when you need to reach everyone immediately.
What makes Text-Em-All different from other texting services for schools?

We've designed Text-Em-All specifically with schools in mind. Our platform combines powerful mass messaging capabilities with user-friendly interfaces that don't require technical expertise. We offer detailed delivery tracking so you know who received your messages, two-way conversation capabilities for meaningful engagement, automated opt-out management to maintain compliance, and reliable service that works when you need it most. Unlike generic messaging platforms, we understand the unique communication challenges schools face and provide features that address those specific needs.

What to Look for in a School Messaging Service

Teachers spend a lot of time communicating with parents, staff, and students, and an effective school texting service can streamline that communication to save time and effort. However, deciding on the right texting solution can be difficult, and not all mass texting platforms are a fit for teachers’ needs. Here are some essential tips for choosing the right solution.

Features to Prioritize

2-Way Texting

Connecting with students through mass text messaging is a great way to get in touch with everyone all at once, but there are a lot of cases where teachers will need to talk to a student or parent one-on-one. Due to this, you’ll want to make sure the solution you choose has an Inbox feature.

Personalization

While some messages such as weather warnings and schedule changes will not require personalization, many of the messages teachers send to students and parents must be personalized by name and time.

When choosing a mass messaging solution, make sure the platform offers personalization features that can easily be added to any message. With Text-Em-All, you can easily add personalization to any message with the click of a button.

Cross-Device Functionality

This feature comes in handy when you want to send messages from both your computer and smartphone. A school texting app that syncs messages automatically between different platforms will ensure that teachers do not duplicate messages, which is especially beneficial if the account has more than one user.

Privacy

One of the most important things to do when choosing a mass texting service is to ensure that your and your contacts’ privacy is protected. The platform you choose should be protected against information leaks, and be in line with FERPA. Teachers should also understand which compliance regulations need to be met and then closely follow the rules and regulations that apply.

In addition, a platform that gives you a number to text from is preferred because the teacher will not have to use their number to contact students, parents, and staff.

Affordability

Schools often have tight budgets, so finding a cost-effective solution is essential. At Text-Em-All, we offer both Pay-As-You-Go and Monthly plans, and our support team will work directly with you to find the best, most affordable plan for your needs.

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