As the new school year kicks off, there’s no shortage of forms to fill out and payments to collect. From registration fees to spirit wear and device insurance, the first few weeks can feel like a whirlwind for staff and families alike.
With ParentSquare Pay, it’s easy to bring school payments into the same platform your families already use for communication. Built right into ParentSquare, Pay helps you simplify payment requests, reduce unpaid balances, and make it easier for families to stay on top of back-to-school expenses.
Here are five smart ways districts are using Pay at the start of the school year.
Benefits at a glance:
- One platform, multiple needs: Forms, payments, and notifications in one seamless experience
- Transparency and tracking: Easily view payment status to stay on top of coverage—and families can track their own invoices, too
- Flexible payments: Options for lump-sum or monthly payments accommodate different preferences
- Administrative time back: Less manual follow-up, fewer systems to manage
1. After-school care
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- Weekly or monthly care
- Drop-in sessions
- Late pickup fees
If your school offers after-school programs, ParentSquare Pay makes invoicing simple. You can create and send invoices, track who’s paid, and keep participation organized—all in the same place. After setup, Pay handles ongoing tracking automatically.
2. Technology insurance
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- Chromebook or iPad coverage
- Lost or damaged device fees
- Accessory replacement
Help families protect school-issued devices from day one by using ParentSquare Pay to offer optional tech insurance or manage repair fees and accessory replacements. With built-in transparency, Pay helps families and staff stay on top of what’s been paid and what hasn’t.
3. Classroom needs
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- Class supply donations
- Art or lab materials
- Book club orders
From art supplies to club materials, ParentSquare Pay lets you create posts asking for contributions without having to send paper envelopes home. Plus, like other ParentSquare posts, payment posts appear in the feed—making it easier for families to see and complete them.
4. School celebrations
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- Seasonal events
- Class activities
- Staff appreciation
Make it easy for families to participate in back-to-school celebrations, whether they’re buying dinner tickets for the fall carnival or making donations for a staff appreciation luncheon. Need to allow payments from guests who aren’t ParentSquare users? Check the box for Guest Payments when you’re creating a payment request.
5. Field trips and enrichment programs
- Local field trips
- Music or STEM programs
- In-school assemblies
Early-year trips and special programs, like assemblies, STEM activities, or music sessions, often involve both payments and permission slips. With ParentSquare Pay, you can collect both with a single post—and built-in reminders help you (and your families) make sure that nothing falls through the cracks.
Tips for using ParentSquare Pay
These five use cases are just the beginning. No matter where you start, here’s how you can use ParentSquare Pay to streamline school payments from day one.
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- Offer flexible options: Let families choose to pay invoices in full or in smaller installments, whether it’s for after-school care or enrichment programs.
- Increase transparency: Staff can track who has and hasn’t paid right in ParentSquare, and families have the ability to keep track of their own payments as well. This works especially well for tech insurance or device repair fees, where accountability and clarity matter most.
- Combine forms and payments: Collect permission slips and funds in a single post to cut down on paperwork and missed deadlines.
- Keep families on track: Use built-in reminders and notifications to reduce unpaid balances without extra follow-up.
- Start small, scale quickly: Pilot Pay with one program (like spirit wear or classroom supplies) before expanding district-wide.
Set the tone for a smoother year
By bringing payment collection into the same platform families already use, you can eliminate extra systems and reduce friction for everyone. ParentSquare Pay supports a full range of payment types, whether you’re collecting one-time fees, accepting classroom contributions, or combining payments with forms.
Best of all, families can pay how and when they want: using credit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay—right from their phones, and in their preferred language.
Ready to simplify school payments this school year? Contact our team to learn more about ParentSquare Pay.