Blackboard, Inc. has recently picked up ParentLink in order to improve K-12 community engagement and parent involvement. The company says these changes could lead to improved student performance.  

ParentLink "currently supports more than eight thousand schools across the country," according to a press release. "With some of the highest customer satisfaction ratings in the industry, the company's communication tools serve as a primary delivery method for various district information systems and are designed to increase community engagement."

Today's announcement, the release said, "marks the latest investment by Blackboard to increase its K-12 focus and continued delivery of solutions designed specifically for the industry."

This "includes the release of new solutions for blended and flipped classrooms, as well as enhanced distance learning tools for teacher professional development," the release said. "As a result of these activities and investments, Blackboard's learning and communication solutions are now being used by more than half of the school districts in the country."

"We are committed to the K-12 community and supporting schools in getting parents more involved in the learning experience, which is critical to student success," said Jay Bhatt, CEO of Blackboard. "Some of the more dramatic changes in education today are happening at the K-12 level and technology is playing a growing role. With ParentLink, we will bring an unmatched expertise and passion to our industry with a razor sharp focus on making a meaningful difference in the lives of the students, parents and schools we serve through highly innovative technology."

John Graff, CEO and founder of ParentLink said the organization "couldn't be more excited to join the Blackboard family and partner with a company that shares our mission of improving K-12 education through better communications."

"By leveraging the full strength of Blackboard's solutions portfolio alongside ParentLink's customer-centric tools, we will propel how schools are engaging with parents, students and teachers, and help create a more informed and involved community," said the release.

"This is the latest move in the company's updated acquisition strategy that focuses on investing in transformative innovation, promoting business integration and expanding the company's ability to truly make a difference in education," the release said.

Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor