Aligning Proficiency Data Across Schools, Systems, and Homes

For more than a decade, proficiency data has taken a back seat when it comes to aligning families with what happens in their children’s school. Despite districts, states, and edtech platforms investing heavily in assessments, analytics, and dashboards for their schools, families are left out of the loop.

All they get are scores, bands, and reports that lack clarity or depth. Without clarity, there can be no action.

Heading into 2026, the conversation between Stephanie Parra, M.Ed., CEO, and Zahra raises the question of the actual challenge. It isn’t collecting better data, but making proficiency legible, actionable, and motivating for families.

Organizations like ALL in Education from Arizona are consistently making progress in showing how family capacity and leadership development can fundamentally shift equity and opportunities by empowering families that are most impacted by systematic gaps.

Proficiency Gaps Are Common and Persistent

According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only 33% of U.S. 4th-grade students perform at or above the proficient level in reading. In fact, in 2022 and 2024, the results indicated a decline from the years prior to the pandemic. Not to mention, this was not something affecting a certain subgroup, but rather something seen across levels, school types, and regions. Incidentally, school system leaders reported that roughly 4 in 10 students started the year below grade level in at least one subject.

In this environment, families cannot be relegated to just being an optional support system. They are essentially the core cog in the instructional ecosystem machine. However, they can only take on this role if the required proficiency is understandable and they have the support to navigate complex systems.

Traditional Proficiency Reporting Works… but Not Quite

Most districts and edtech companies face issues with their reporting systems for three main reasons:

• Proficiency Is Heavily Coded and Not Explained
  Labels like “Level 2,” “Approaching,” or percentile ranks assume families have prior knowledge.
• Data Is Disconnected from Everyday Life
  Test scores from previous months don’t give parents any direction on what needs to be tackled next.
• Reports Help Identify Gaps, but Not Pathways
  Families can see what is wrong, but not how they can fix it. The results create more anxiety and less agency.

Stephanie Parra, the CEO of ALL In Education, says that when we talk about how kids are doing in school, it is often in a way that is hard to understand. We use words and wait a long time to give parents the information. Parents cannot figure out what the scores mean in a way that provides them with the necessary information to help their child.

However, when they are told that their child, at a higher grade level, is reading at a lower grade level, it instantly creates a sense of urgency around taking action.

The Proficiency-to-Action Framework

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Engaging Parents, Developing Leaders report states that academic socialization, which entails clear expectations, guidance on how to support learning at home, and learning routines, has a stronger relationship to student achievement than generic involvement.

Here is a framework for a core model that EdTech teams and districts together should base their designs on:

1. Status: Where Is My Child Right Now?

• Current proficiency level
• Expressed in plain language, not in codes
• A background of expectations for the grade

Example:
“Your child is in the fourth grade but is currently reading at the second-grade level.”

By explaining proficiency in a way that incites a reaction from the family, you can get them to understand learning needs better.

2. Meaning: What Does This Actually Mean?

• Skills mastered
• Skills emerging
• Skills not yet secured

Example:
“They can decode text accurately, but struggle to summarise multi-paragraph passages.”

This kind of translation is similar to the way ALL In Education’s academy contextualises information so families can advocate confidently within their school systems.

3. Action: What Can I Do This Week?

• 2-3 high-leverage, time-bounded actions
• Aligned with the specific skill gap
• Designed for real homes, not ideal conditions

Example:
Read together for 15 minutes using nonfiction texts. Ask one “main idea” question after each section. Review 5 vocabulary words tied to the current units.

By mapping proficiency to concrete habits, families gain agency, not anxiety.

4. Momentum: Is This Working?

• Short-term growth indicators
• A visible “progress-to-goal” tracker
• Check-ins on a weekly or bi-weekly basis

Example:
“2 of 5 comprehension checkpoints met on pace for this month’s goal.”

Visible progress builds confidence and sustained engagement.

What District Leaders Can Take Away

Once implemented, this means shifting away from reporting compliance to instructional communication for district leaders. They need to:

• Audit reports that are parent-facing and remove jargon.
• Align messages across SIS, LMS, and family portals.
• Educate staff to use plain-language proficiency in their conversations.

They can also partner with local organizations that provide enriching opportunities to help parents take charge and deepen engagement.

What EdTech Companies Can Take Away

A few essential additions that edtech companies can incorporate into their products are:

• Proficiency translation layers
• Action engines that map skill gaps all the way to home strategies
• Low-bandwidth and mobile-first delivery
• Multilingual support is a staple

Remember, if families cannot use any of the data they receive, it directly means that the product is not working.

Make Proficiency a Powerful Tool

There was a national survey of parents conducted by the Data Quality Campaign, an organization that advocates for changing the role of data in education. It stated that in the organization’s 2019 national poll, 81% of parents reported interest in having access to information regarding how their child’s school serves them, especially students of the same race, gender, or special education status.

Families that have access to actionable and meaningful data can make the best educational decisions for their children. In turn, these students are more likely to attend school regularly, have improved social skills, and perform well academically.