The Hidden Problem With School Websites

Every school leader knows the frustration: you’ve spent hours updating your website, carefully crafting page after page, only to find that parents still ask questions the site already answers. Why don’t they just read it? The truth is, it’s not that parents are lazy—it’s that most school websites are built in ways that push readers away instead of pulling them in.

When you understand how families actually use your site, you can fix it. The goal isn’t to dump information online. It’s to make your site clear, simple, and skimmable enough that parents actually use it.

Reason #1: Too Much Content Bloat

Imagine a parent trying to find the school calendar. They land on your homepage and see seven drop-down menus, each with ten options. They finally click “Resources,” only to discover a list of 27 PDFs with names like “SpringAddendum2022_FINAL.pdf.” Frustrated, they give up and email the office.

This is what content bloat looks like. Parents don’t want a library—they want a map. Every extra click, every extra folder, every PDF buried under three layers of navigation is one more reason they’ll call instead of read.

Reason #2: Reading Level Too High

Parents are busy. They’re glancing at your site while stirring spaghetti or scrolling at soccer practice. If your site is written like a graduate thesis, they’re gone.

For example, compare these two sentences:

• “Our institutional vision is centered on cultivating lifelong learners within a holistic framework.”
• “We want students to love learning and carry that joy with them as adults.”

The first feels abstract and heavy. The second feels like something you’d actually say in conversation. That’s the level your site should aim for. Seventh-grade reading level or lower is best for most audiences.

Reason #3: Jargon Fatigue

It’s easy for schools to slip into jargon. Terms like “grammar stage,” “dialectic stage,” or “rhetoric stage” may make sense internally, but they confuse prospective families. Parents don’t want to learn a new dictionary just to understand your admissions page.

Instead of saying “students advance through the trivium,” try: “Younger students focus on building strong foundations, middle schoolers learn how to ask great questions, and high schoolers practice communicating their ideas clearly.” Both sentences describe the same model, but only one invites the reader in.

Reason #4: The Passive Voice Trap

Passive voice may sound harmless, but it drains energy from your site. For example:

• “It is expected that uniforms will be worn by all students.”
• “All students wear uniforms.”

The first feels cold and bureaucratic. The second feels confident and clear. Parents trust schools that write like humans, not like contracts.

Reason #5: No Skimmability

Here’s a quick experiment: pull up your school’s homepage and try reading it without scrolling. Do you see short sentences, clear headlines, and helpful bullets—or do you see long walls of text?

Most parents skim first and read second. That means your site should look like it was designed for scanning. Use headlines that make sense out of context. Use bulleted lists. Break up long sections into short, readable blocks.

What Heatmaps Reveal

If you’ve ever seen a heatmap—a tool that shows where people actually click and scroll—you know the truth: most users don’t reach the bottom of the page. They stop halfway down, or sooner, unless something grabs them.

That means your key content needs to live near the top. If your tuition details or admissions steps are buried on page six of your handbook, don’t expect parents to find them. Put them in plain sight. Even a small section that says, “Curious about tuition? Click here” can help guide parents who would otherwise leave frustrated.

What to Do Instead: Practical Fixes

Here’s how to reverse the trend and actually get parents to read your site:

• Cut the fat: Audit every page. If the information isn’t useful to a prospective parent, move it to an internal resource or delete it.
• Use plain language: Write as if you’re talking to a neighbor over coffee. Avoid buzzwords. Stick to clear, simple words.
• Be specific: Instead of “we value partnership,” say “teachers send weekly email updates and invite parents to quarterly conferences.” Parents can picture that.
• Design for skimming: Use short paragraphs, strong headlines, and bulleted lists so parents can absorb information quickly.
• Lead with clarity: Place your most important details—admissions steps, contact info, school calendar—high on the page.

How This Builds Trust

When parents find what they need quickly, they don’t just get answers—they start to believe your school is reliable. A parent who can easily locate tuition info, schedule a tour, or read about your discipline approach without feeling lost is a parent who feels respected.

Transparency goes a long way. As one post on classical school marketing strategy explains, clarity and storytelling matter more than polished jargon. The same principle applies to your website: the more human and direct you are, the more trust you build.

A Real-Life Example

Picture two different admissions pages:

School A:
“Prospective families may initiate the enrollment process by completing an initial inquiry form, after which relevant documentation will be disseminated for subsequent review.”

School B:
“Here’s how to apply:
1. Fill out the online inquiry form.
2. We’ll send you an application packet.
3. Return the forms, and we’ll schedule a family interview.”

Both schools mean the same thing. But which one feels approachable? Which one would you rather call?

The Payoff: Parents Who Actually Use Your Site

When you eliminate bloat, simplify your language, and design for skimming, parents stop calling the office for every little detail. They start using your site as a reliable tool. That saves staff time and builds credibility with families.

Even more importantly, it gives prospective parents confidence to take the next step. Instead of clicking away, they’ll sign up for a tour, schedule a shadow day, or request more information.

Final Thoughts

Parents don’t avoid your website because they don’t care. They avoid it because it’s too hard to use. When you strip away the clutter, write in clear, plain language, and design for skimmability, your website becomes a true asset—not a frustration.