It’s a top priority for your school to maintain a healthy pipeline of mission-appropriate families so you will be able to serve students with excellence for years to come.
To achieve this goal effectively, you must understand the landscape of private-independent school enrollment. Researchers from the Stanford Graduate School of Education and Harvard Graduate School of Education recently released a report that compared family income and student enrollment data from the 1960’s with today, focusing on K–8 schools.
The team used information from various studies and reports, including the decennial census, Current Population Survey, U.S. Department of Education longitudinal surveys, and the National Household Education Survey to draw their conclusions on private-elementary school enrollment.
The data shows an overall decline in private-elementary school enrollment from middle-income families. In 1968, 18% of elementary-aged children from high-income families attended a private school, compared to 12% of children from middle-income families. In 2013, private-school enrollment of children from high-income families remained relatively steady at 16%, while only 7% of children from middle-income families attended private school.
This may be because the middle class has grown more slowly than more affluent families. According to the data, the average income of families with children in grades 1 to 8 in the 50th percentile increased by 19% between 1975 and 2010. In the same time period, family incomes in the 90th percentile increased by 57%.
More urban middle- and high-income families tend to enroll in private schools than those in the suburbs. However, enrollment among both groups has dropped. According to researchers, “In 1968, 19% of children living in cities and 13% of those living in suburbs attended a private elementary school. Over the next half century, both percentages declined, to 10% of city dwellers and 8% of suburban children.”
And when it comes to regions, enrollment rates have remained steady at 7% for those in the South and West. However, rates have declined in the Northeast (from 22% to 10%) and the Midwest (from 16% to 9%).
The full findings from the researchers are available in their report. It provides deep insights into the private-independent school landscape and the various factors impacting it. Consider these conclusions as you work to develop your school’s enrollment management plan, create your strategy, and execute your tactics.
Additional ISM resources:
The Source for School Heads Vol. 16 No. 7 How to Manage a Sudden Enrollment Shift
Additional ISM resources for members:
I&P Vol. 42 No. 2 Admission and Enrollment Management: Spheres of Influence
I&P Vol. 43 No. 13 Estimating Next Year’s Enrollment
