Learn practical strategies to handle emerging trends and leadership challenges in private schools.
No matter if you’re a School Head, Admission Director, Development Director, Board member, or any other private school administrator—Ideas & Perspectives, ISM’s premier private school publication, has strategic solutions for the pervasive problems you face.
- Tuition not keeping pace with your expenses? In I&P, explore how to use strategic financial planning to create your budget and appropriately adjust your tuition.
- Enrollment dropping off? Discover how to implement the right admission and enrollment management strategies that engage your community—and fill your classrooms.
- Trouble retaining teachers? Learn how you can best support your teachers using ISM’s Comprehensive Faculty Development framework. Your faculty members will become more enthusiastic about their roles—which ultimately improves student outcomes.
- Fundraising campaigns not as successful as you’d hoped? Implement ISM’s practical advice and guidance to build a thriving annual fund, construct an effective capital campaign, and secure major donors—no matter your community size or location.
- Not sure how to provide professional development—for you and your staff? Learn ways to develop and fund a successful professional development strategy. You can improve teacher-centered satisfaction and growth, which in turn strengthens student-centered learning.
- Problematic schedule? You can master the challenges of scheduling with the help of ISM’s practical advice, based on our experience with hundreds of schools and our time-tested theories.
- And so much more.
I&P has shared targeted research, up-to-date insight, and sound theory with school leaders since 1975. More than 8,500 private school decision-makers find the answers to their schools’ administrative and governance matters in our advisory letter. We give you the strategic answers you need.
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See the articles from our latest issue of Ideas & Perspectives.
Keep Your Board Compliant and Independent
Volume 48 No. 1 // January 1, 2023
The IRS has established requirements for private school Boards, recognizing schools as nonprofit businesses. Your Committee on Trustees should periodically review IRS regulations to ensure your Board complies with these requirements. Failure can jeopardize your school’s tax-exempt status.
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Purpose and Outcomes Statements 2.0
Volume 48 No. 1 // January 1, 2023
For years, ISM has encouraged schools to base their marketing communications strategy on three pillars—Mission, Portrait of the Graduate, and Characteristics of Professional Excellence—which ISM calls Purpose and Outcome Statements.
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Define Your Competitive Niche to Set Your School Apart
Volume 48 No. 1 // January 1, 2023
Year after year, families have an increasing variety of school choices. Not only has the total number of private-independent schools increased, but there also has been a rise in virtual, charter, and homeschool options.
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Your Parent and Alumni Associations’ Partnerships With Development
Volume 48 No. 1 // January 1, 2023
Private schools enjoy the benefits of a close-knit community with constituents who share a belief in the school’s values and mission. These shared values frequently become strikingly apparent within two organizations formed to support the school’s constituencies—namely, your Parent and Alumni Associations.
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Construction in Your Future: Understand Environmental and Zoning Issues
Volume 47 No. 10 // December 1, 2022
Your school plans a construction project, perhaps a new building or major remodeling of an existing facility. Before serious planning—much less design work—begins on this project, thoroughly scrutinize state and local environmental laws and zoning requirements.
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Schedule Rally Points Throughout the School Year to Relieve Student Stress
Volume 47 No. 10 // December 1, 2022
As a School Head or Division Head, you want your students to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. Our research shows schools can increase student engagement, achievement, and overall well-being by creating a well-paced school year that includes strategically scheduled long weekends and breaks and what ISM calls rally points throughout the year.
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Keep Former Board Members Connected to Your School
Volume 47 No. 10 // December 1, 2022
As Board Chair, you frequently focus on growing and developing your school’s Board. A key growth strategy is creating a Board profile so you recruit new Trustees with the necessary talents to bring your strategic plan to life.
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Communicating Your Planned Giving Program
Volume 47 No. 10 // December 1, 2022
A well-conceived, concerted effort is necessary to educate all your school’s constituents about a planned giving program.
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Teacher Intern Programs: Ensuring Quality for the Future
Volume 47 No. 10 // December 1, 2022
Many private schools are concerned about the number of teachers available for current and future hiring, particularly because of the omnipresent concern about a teacher shortage. One way to ensure an exemplary faculty at your school is to implement a teacher intern program.
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How to Assess Your Advisory Program
Volume 47 No. 9 // November 1, 2022
In ISM’s research sample of 11,351 students, we noted the lackluster performance of advisory programs. We have detailed ways to improve advisory by enhancing each program’s clarity, teacher performance, and student engagement.
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