10 Surefire Strategies to Help Increase School Enrollment
Private school administrators are committed to finding effective strategies to help them increase school enrollment. Ongoing enrollment campaigns are critical for private schools to survive the natural yearly fluctuations in student population.
Private schools offer a specialized educational experience to meet the needs of their students and families. Therefore, effectively communicating the benefits of your private school to families is essential to increased enrollment.
Expand your public profile using our strategies to be competitive and increase enrollment in private schools.
1. How to Increase School Enrollment Through Community
Most local communities have a lot of fun and entertaining activities that support and showcase local businesses throughout the year. Put your school in the front row with an impactful presence at these events.
- March in the parades.
- Set up your information booth at all festivals.
- Promote your school events and invite the public, not just parents of students.
- Take every opportunity to showcase your students and staff with publicity blurbs.
Be a noticeable presence in the volunteer community. Volunteer as a group at the food bank, roadside cleanup, charity fundraisers, etc.
To further advance name recognition and draw attention to your private school, always wear your school colors when working and serving at community events.
Sales of school-related clothing are an excellent way to raise funds, and wearing those t-shirts and hoodies is a walking advertisement for your school.
Student volunteers can earn silver service awards, the community benefits from their work, and your school will enhance its name recognition and reputation. Everybody wins.
2. Tell Your Story on Social Media
You may increase enrollment in private schools by reaching potential students through social media. Consider using your advertising funds to hire a digital marketing agency for your school.
Digital marketing agencies have the skills and knowledge to design an attractive website for your school. In addition, they will give you a positive presence on social media and place effective social media advertising for your school on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and other platforms.
Your marketing agent knows how to ensure your private school is found by those using internet search engines to explore school options. Visitors to your private school website could also take a virtual tour of your facility.
Using your internet presence, you can tell the story of your private school:
- Your reasons for starting the school.
- What makes your program special.
- Actual examples of your success.
The final step in your outreach program is organized follow-up. Do not neglect information-seeking families. Keep them updated with new programs and share recent events. Provide timely answers to questions.
3. Share Your News and Accomplishments on Social Media
The success of your educational program is important to increase school enrollment. Frequent updates will keep your website fresh, informative, and personal with lively photos and exciting events.
Profile your staff's educational and personal accomplishments. Then, with parental permission, recognize students' successes. Finally, shine a spotlight on whatever makes your private school outstanding.
Parents want the best for their children. Use social media and virtual video to show them how your school achieves those goals.
4. Meet Expectations
According to the CATO Institute, the top five reasons parents choose a private school for their children are:
- Proper discipline
- Small class size
- Safe environment
- More individualized attention
- An improved learning environment
In addition, many parents are seeking alternative teaching methods such as Waldorf, Montessori, Context curriculum, and more. Such methods emphasize a love of learning and open up class time to explore a broader range of interests.
Whichever methodology you choose for your private school, increase school enrollment by incorporating as wide a range of interests as possible, including the arts, sports, and foreign languages.
5. Stay Relevant
Parents may readily commit to your private school based on the overall success of the methods and programs. However, you need happy students to increase school enrollment for your private school.
Often students choose a private school because they like flexible learning methods, the feeling of safety, and a less hectic learning environment.
However, their future is tied to modern technology and its use in all career choices. Lesson plans and learning facilities in the school they attend should be relevant.
Tech-savvy young instructors and an impressive technology lab will likely appeal to a large number of students. Of course, digital instruction does not always replace the textbook and lecture, but it is likely part of the equation.
Some students want to learn to code, while others want to apply the latest technology to science, farming, astronomy, communications, medicine, and research.
6. Extra-Curricular and Enrichment Programs
Extra-curricular and enrichment programs can help increase school enrollment. Parents are grateful when their children can spend off-school hours engaged in fun and interesting activities in a safe environment.
These programs can also allow parents to be actively involved with the school. Photography, creative writing, cooking, childcare, first-aid, sports camps, carpentry, and music programs are just a few of the many skills parents can share with students at school.
Learning and competing just for fun is a winning method that keeps current students happy while attracting new students.
7. Additional Services
The number one service that will generate the most significant revenue for your private school is a high-quality education.
However, busy parents may need additional services for your school that will work for them. Those services might include transportation to and from school, before and after school care, and special needs support workers.
If your budget can support the implementation of such programs, you will remove some obstacles for parents, which can lead to increased enrollment.
8. Maintain Availability and Transparency
Parents of students and potential students need to feel confident that your private school delivers quality education in a physically, mentally, and socially safe environment.
Provide opportunities for a first-hand in-person evaluation of your facilities, staff, and programs. Make visitors welcome to observe daily activities. Provide ongoing communication regarding policy changes, budgets, and staff turnover.
Stay ahead of any negative complaints and behaviors with clear and truthful communication.
Make your budget available to the parents of students.
9. Resourceful Financial Solutions
Private school excellence is expensive. Your school wants to spread that cost across an accepted maximum number of enrollments. That helps keep the price affordable for parents without compromising quality.
Your financial advisors working with lending specialists can usually create multiple options for tuition payment to help parents cover the cost.
In addition, provide volunteer opportunities for parents and work opportunities for students to help offset some of their fees.
Use fundraisers to help offset designated expenses that benefit all enrolled students.
Appeal to local businesses and organizations for donations to fund scholarships for deserving students.
10. Stay Focused with a Management Software Program
It is clear that maintaining high private school standards and open communications with the public is time-consuming. You can free up time for the administration team by using specialized software designed for private schools.
Management programs like Curacubby will save time and money, and will help increase enrollment. Such digital software benefits staff and parents. Everyone will appreciate that one app keeps parents, students, staff, and administration connected.
Parents can complete registration online. In addition, application, billing, and tuition payments can be made using the app. You can even set up to receive donations and extracurricular registration and fees.
Tracking enrollment and attendance in any class or program is automatic.
Private school billing and invoicing are completed using the software, and reports are easily generated. In addition, the Curacubby software program integrates with QuickBooks for accounting.
By streamlining your private school management, your staff will have time to devote to promoting your educational excellence and increasing enrollment.
Increasing private school enrollment and maintaining maximum student capacity is the lifeblood of private schools. Unfortunately, there is no single solution, and competition for tuition dollars is stiff. However, utilizing all available opportunities and developing new methods will improve results.