Of all the issues weighing on school leaders’ minds, enrollment looms especially large. Even in the best of times, this crucial factor determines so much of your day-to-day work; after all, your funding depends on it.
But unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that in recent years, enrollment has become a particular pain point, especially for public schools. Before the start of the pandemic, 50.8 million of the nation’s children attended public schools; by the 2021-22 school year, that figure was down by 3%—a difference of about 1.3 million kids.
Plus, the increased momentum of school choice legislation nationwide means families have more options than ever before. As public enrollment wavers, alternatives for families have skyrocketed. Between 2019 and 2021, charter school enrollment jumped by 7%, and the number of homeschooled students has doubled to five million since COVID-19 first hit.
Each student who leaves your district is a hit to your funding—and, more importantly, a blow to the quality of education you can provide. When enrollment decreases, it’s not just your organization that suffers; it’s also the families and community who look to your district as a touchstone of their lives.
So what can you actually do about all this? There’s not just one answer, as this is a problem you’ll need to attack from multiple angles, from equity to leadership to school culture. But we’re confident we can help you boost enrollment with strategies from the world we know best: marketing.
In this issue, we’re tackling enrollment with a framework well-known to the private sector: the customer journey. We’ll walk you through each stage of a family’s relationship with your schools, helping you craft experiences that make them want to be part of your district. Along the way, we’ll examine practical strategies from school leaders doing the work—like Minnesota’s Dr. Joe Gothard, who is providing specific cultural experiences to boost enrollment, and Dr. Rupak Gandhi, whose bold approach to doing right by students is bringing in kids from all over North Dakota.
This new year is a time for new beginnings—and families in your area might be looking for a fresh start with school. Enrollment may well be among the most difficult issues your district faces in 2024, but with a strong strategy, you can buck the trend and bring more students into your schools.
Of all the issues weighing on school leaders’ minds, enrollment looms especially large. Even in the best of times, this crucial factor determines so much of your day-to-day work; after all, your funding depends on it.
But unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that in recent years, enrollment has become a particular pain point, especially for public schools. Before the start of the pandemic, 50.8 million of the nation’s children attended public schools; by the 2021-22 school year, that figure was down by 3%—a difference of about 1.3 million kids.
Plus, the increased momentum of school choice legislation nationwide means families have more options than ever before. As public enrollment wavers, alternatives for families have skyrocketed. Between 2019 and 2021, charter school enrollment jumped by 7%, and the number of homeschooled students has doubled to five million since COVID-19 first hit.
Each student who leaves your district is a hit to your funding—and, more importantly, a blow to the quality of education you can provide. When enrollment decreases, it’s not just your organization that suffers; it’s also the families and community who look to your district as a touchstone of their lives.
So what can you actually do about all this? There’s not just one answer, as this is a problem you’ll need to attack from multiple angles, from equity to leadership to school culture. But we’re confident we can help you boost enrollment with strategies from the world we know best: marketing.
In this issue, we’re tackling enrollment with a framework well-known to the private sector: the customer journey. We’ll walk you through each stage of a family’s relationship with your schools, helping you craft experiences that make them want to be part of your district. Along the way, we’ll examine practical strategies from school leaders doing the work—like Minnesota’s Dr. Joe Gothard, who is providing specific cultural experiences to boost enrollment, and Dr. Rupak Gandhi, whose bold approach to doing right by students is bringing in kids from all over North Dakota.
This new year is a time for new beginnings—and families in your area might be looking for a fresh start with school. Enrollment may well be among the most difficult issues your district faces in 2024, but with a strong strategy, you can buck the trend and bring more students into your schools.