Print in Education: Enhancing Student, Parent, and School Engagement

In a world of screens, print experiences stand out

Students seem to live on their phones these days. They've grown up with TikTok, Instagram, and endless digital notifications. Parents go online for school information and get news and updates via school emails. Teachers teach with digital tools.

So -- does print still matter in schools?

The answer is yes—and more than many educational institutions expect.

Here's the surprising truth: Gen Z actually crave tactile, tangible experiences—precisely because their world is so digitally saturated. The World Economic Forum reports that 68% of Gen Z readers in the U.S. prefer printed books over e-books, listing better focus and less digital fatigue. Teachers find that comprehension improves when students read long passages in print rather than on digital devices. Older generations are more likely to trust and open a mailed fundraising appeal than an email blast.

Educational institutions that understand this approach print more strategically.

The credibility factor, A tactile presence

Print offers its own unique experience across the school environment. When a family receives a professionally printed viewbook in the mail, it signals permanence and investment.  A mailed student report conveys legitimacy; seeing school colors and logo printed on a postcard gets noticed. An elegantly printed concert program or an embossed certificate at graduation makes the moment feels official and memorable in ways a PDF never could.

Where Print Delivers Impact in Education

Student & Family Communications

Behind every successful school is a steady flow of accurate, timely printed communications. From tuition statements and student welcome packets to compliance notices and staff documentation.

Educational & Instructional Materials

Printed and branded instructional materials remain an essential tool for teachers. Workbooks, course packets, lab manuals, and study guides provide students with a focused, distraction-free way to engage with the content.

Fundraising

Personalized fundraising appeals see response rates 2-3x higher than generic mailings. With variable data mailings, schools can tailor key elements of each direct mail piece to the individual recipient. Physical mail also has staying power—An email gets deleted.

Campus Communications

Printed school calendars, a school newspaper. Professionally designed direct mail campaigns and high-quality signage throughout campus all reinforce institutional identity. These aren't luxuries—they're touchpoints that build pride and cohesion.

Events That Create Memories

Concert programs, sports schedules, playbills, and graduation materials become keepsakes. Parents save them. Students collect them. Gen Z, in particular, values physical mementos in ways that surprise administrators used to thinking everything should go digital.

Promotional Materials That Get Seen

Flyers for campus events, posters for guest speakers, and banners for athletic achievements create a physical presence in the spaces students occupy. It is advertising that doesn't require a screen to be effective and often drives online registrations and event attendance.

Branded Merch

From spirit wear to water bottles to notebooks, custom school apparel printing turns students, staff, and alumni into ambassadors. These items create visibility beyond campus and build affinity in ways digital marketing can't.

Supporting Family Engagement, Better Than Digital Alone

Parents are busy. Emails get buried. Apps go unchecked. Printed materials cut through that noise by living in shared spaces—on kitchen counters, desks, and walls—where the entire household sees them.

One example: Printed school calendars and newsletters improve awareness of

• Upcoming events

• Academic milestones

• Extracurricular activities

• Volunteer opportunities

  
  

The Strategic Advantage

Smart schools aren't choosing between print and digital -- they're using both strategically. Email for time-sensitive updates; print for what needs to last, persuade, or celebrate. They are aware that parents experience a school brand not only digitally, but physically as well. From school signs and banners, to apparel, to the quality of your printed communications.

Ready to Make Print Work Harder for Your School?

Castle Press understands education. We support schools throughout the greater Los Angeles area with their printing needs — from variable mailings to signage to branded merchandise — and meet the unique requirements of educational organizations, ensuring exceptional quality and professionalism.

What can print do for your institution? Contact Castle Press today.