ISM research has long been concerned with the health of a school’s culture — the positive environment a school creates to optimize student performance, student retention, and faculty retention. A healthy school culture leads to steady enrollment, with waiting lists at principal grade-level entry points.

Students learn best when their school and their family are on the same page about their education. Even so, sometimes schools and parents have conflicting expectations that put them at loggerheads. Furthermore, on rare occasions, parents behave inappropriately.

Thus it is always important for your school to communicate clearly about what the school is providing, what you expect of students, and what you expect of their parents. ISM recommends that you have in place two documents that promote clarity and ensure a positive outcome for all parties.

ISM has long held that private-independent schools should strive to cover 100% of operations expenses with hard income (defined as all revenue sources other than fundraising). Whether your school is nearing this benchmark or hovering below it, student withdrawals after their families have already signed enrollment contracts can threaten your ability to balance the budget.

A stagnant school is a failing school. In contrast, a healthy school has a growth mindset. A flourishing school is one that is always evolving — adapting to new students, addressing new challenges, building the faculty culture, updating facilities, improving efficiency in operations, and more.

In August 2024, the Regents of the University of Texas System adopted a new policy banning its 14 universities and hospitals from addressing current political issues. “Institutions should not, in their official capacity, issue or express positions on issues of the day, however appealing they may be to some members of the university community,” reads the statement. (This does not apply to individual faculty, staff, or students.

Private schools are not exempt from environmental laws and regulations such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Pollution-related lawsuits filed against educational institutions are common. For example, Yale University had to pay $348,000 to settle allegations by the Environmental Protection Agency that it risked the safety of faculty, students, and nearby residents through the improper storage of hazardous materials in unsafe containers. Stanford University paid nearly $1 million to settle similar allegations.