Case Study: Oakland Unified School District streamlines COVID-19 health screening and contact tracing with ParentSquare

Oakland (CA) Unified School District Develops Custom COVID-19 Contact Tracing Follow-up Tool Utilizing Data from ParentSquare Health Screening Forms

Oakland Unified School District was facing the challenge of managing COVID-19 health screenings for its 35,000 students using inefficient paper forms and Google Forms. They sought a more reliable and engaging solution to ensure families and staff could easily respond to necessary health questions. This led them to partner with ParentSquare, utilizing the ParentSquare-powered Aeries Communications module within their student information system.

ParentSquare implemented a streamlined, automated health screening solution that included a custom protocol based on three key questions. This enabled immediate automated follow-up, such as "stay home" emails for any affirmative responses, and provided critical data for contact tracing. The results were highly effective, with the district sending dozens of automated notifications daily, a task previously impossible to manage manually. The solution also featured translation capabilities for diverse families and allowed for targeted communications about exposures, significantly improving the district's response and family engagement.

Oakland Unified School District

Joanna Powell

Staff Attorney