What is a “good” student and what is a “great” student? Most schools classify students academically, both formally and informally. Entrance tests determine eligibility to attend; faculty conversations identify issues that need to be addressed; casual encounters and classroom experiences build a picture of student competence. The deep knowledge that a school has of a student can be considered an asset, as it enables the school to provide appropriate services and interventions. However, this deep knowledge is not always benign and can mask inequities detrimental to a student’s potential and actual progress.

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The School Head is the sole employee of the Board, and management of the Head’s compensation is a high priority. Numerous entities are now asking how much compensation is too much for nonprofit CEOs. Never has it been more important that the Board be fully conversant about Head compensation. Only then can the Board determine what adjustments are needed to ensure that the school compensates competitively to retain the Head or enhance its ability to be competitive in its next Head search. Trustees must educate themselves about the marketplace and understand the complexities of the School Head’s job. ISM surveyed a random sample of I&P subscriber schools concerning compensation for faculty and administrators. This article focuses on the survey results regarding the salaries of School Heads at our participating day schools.

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Since the economic collapse of 2008, money has been cheap. This is not the first time this has been so, but it is unusual that interest rates have remained low for so long. This has led school leaders—School Heads, Business Managers, and Trustees—to consider long-term financing to move their schools ahead, typically within the context of buildings and renovations. While tempting, we urge caution around debt financing.

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The annual fund is the keystone of your entire development program. Since it is broad-based and regularly occurring, it connects your school with the widest possible group of donors and helps build a culture of philanthropy in your school community. The annual fund also helps identify individuals who might later become primary supporters of capital, endowment, or major gift campaigns. It is a vital point of contact for Development Office professional staff to engage volunteers and develop volunteer leadership.

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This is the second article in a three-part series on collecting and using data to assess your school and advance your school’s strategic initiatives. The first article dealt with how to build a “culture of data” in independent schools,* where decisions have traditionally been based on anecdotes, the vocal minority, past events, or instinct. Now that you have articulated your objectives, outlined the necessary tasks, and identified all the sources of data available internally (discipline records, health records, testing, etc.) that contribute to the overall picture of your school, the next step is to collect data from your various constituents. Surveys are one of the most practical and efficient data collection methods. Proper survey methodology is crucial for success; mistakes made in the design, implementation, or analysis of surveys can lead to inaccurate data and discontent among your constituent groups. There are many factors to consider when launching your survey program.

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Private-independent school leaders have experienced considerable discomfort at the oft-heard contention—by no means a new one—that tuitions have (a) increased faster than inflation and (b) increased faster than the growth of family incomes. A common conclusion from these paired facts—and they are facts—is that this cannot be sustainable. You, in your role as School Head or Business Manager, may never become comfortable dealing with these facts and with the (sustainability-related) conclusion.1 But four of ISM’s continually researched perspectives can assist you in preparing to deal with your constituents on this topic.

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ISM has long encouraged schools to minimize single-section courses (singletons) due to the negative impact they have on the health of the school’s schedule. They distort the entire schedule as the scheduler attempts to get the most students into each class. Still, schedule conflicts arise that make it impossible for students to get the courses they desire. Disappointed and frustrated, these students often have to take other courses. We frequently see such conflicts in visual arts programs. The typical design of a visual arts curriculum begins with an introductory course, followed by courses grouped by the various disciplines (e.g., painting, drawing, ceramics) and by level (e.g., I, II, AP). The courses are arranged in a largely sequential fashion where prerequisites determine students’ eligibility for upper-level courses. For example, a student may take Design Fundamentals as a freshman, Drawing I and Painting I as a sophomore, Ceramics and Advanced Painting as a junior, and AP Art as a senior. While logical and linear, high levels of prerequisite sequencing result in numerous singletons that run with a fraction of the students who signed up for the course. To defend against this, the best course of action is to minimize the impact curriculum design has on students’ ability to gain entry into arts courses.

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ISM has been an outspoken advocate of a growth-focused faculty culture—meaning that faculty professional growth and development is not merely a goal of leadership but a cultural norm within a school. Our research has demonstrated time and again the value of this culture for the students we serve. A growth-focused faculty culture underpins an inspiring workplace because of the opportunities teachers have to grow and renew throughout their careers with solid school leadership support and resources. The administrators value the creative energy faculty members invest, and give teachers room for success and failure. They understand that learning, growing, and maturing within a professional learning community will lead to enhanced student achievement, satisfaction, and enthusiasm—the ultimate goals. But what happens when a school fails to build this culture?

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When dealing with employment matters, it’s critical to get the advice of qualified labor counsel early in the process. While this may seem costly, preventing a lawsuit can save your school hundreds of thousands of dollars. You also avoid potential damage to the school’s reputation and culture. By waiting until a lawsuit is filed to consult with counsel, you relinquish the opportunity to take proactive, preventive measures to resolve issues before they reach the boiling point of litigation.

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In a previous I&P article, ISM stated there are three types of need-based financial aid—“rainy day,” diversity/marketing goal, and filling empty seats. Funds for aid used for rainy day help and funding diversity can be budgeted for separately. These funds should be awarded using a formula that reflects the mission of your school and the spirit of the reason monies were put aside. Schools often use one budget that encompasses all three types of aid, making the mistake of not realizing that the aid that is used to fill empty seats cannot be budgeted.

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