Collecting school payments—whether for field trips, athletics, devices, or prom—is a routine part of district operations. However, managing cash and checks often creates delays, tracking challenges, and administrative burden for staff. And when payment requests rely on paper forms or multiple portals, the process becomes confusing for families and time-consuming for schools to reconcile.
To help districts navigate these challenges, ParentSquare has released a suite of resources.
ParentSquare is a Friend Level Business Partner with MASA.
Guide: The Road to Cashless School Payments
This resource offers best practices and real-world strategies to help finance teams and administrators reduce cash handling and simplify collection.
Download the guide here and you will receive:
- A Clear Framework: Proven steps for reducing reliance on cash and
- Engagement Strategies: Guidance on improving how families receive and respond to payment requests.
- Staff Adoption Tips: Practical ways to increase buy-in from teachers and school administrators without adding “one more system” to their plate.
- Scalable Processes: Insights into creating repeatable workflows that work across every school in your district.
- Efficient Reporting: Tips for tracking and reconciling payments with greater transparency and accuracy.
Real-World Success Stories
Sunnybrook School District 71 (IL)
District Technology Director Mike McGowan notes that ParentSquare Pay has become a feature they “can no longer live without.” By integrating payments directly into the school-home communication platform families already trust, the district eliminated the “chaos” of morning money collection. Instead of teachers managing envelopes and spreadsheets, they now have clear visibility into who has paid and who needs a reminder—all in one familiar place.
Read their story here.
Pearl River County School District (MS)
When school payments rely on paper forms, cash, or checks sent home in backpacks, the process quickly becomes confusing for families and time-consuming for staff. In this district’s approach, moving payments directly into the school-home communication platform parents already use and trust made it easier for families to pay in just a few taps. And when staff no longer have to track payments across multiple systems, they gain valuable time back in their day.
Read their story here.