It’s no secret that School Choice is continuing to grow and expand with each year – and that is something to celebrate! School Choice empowers families to choose a school that best suits their child’s needs, interests, and learning style, giving them a greater chance to succeed. But beyond giving families more power, School Choice is changing education as we know it, which is equally as exciting for schools. As we celebrate National School Choice Week, let’s take a closer look at how School Choice is creating gains for schools, has expanded this past year, and most importantly, how your school can reach the right families when there are so many options for families to choose from?
Why Schools Need to Care About School Choice
The power of school choice doesn’t stop with families. School Choice plays a massive role in giving schools the ability to be innovative and outside the box to provide a unique educational experience for their students. Here are a few more reasons for schools to love School Choice.
- Improves Student Success: This one is plain and simple! When students go to a school that meets their needs and interests, they receive more personalized learning experiences, are more motivated, and more likely to achieve academic and personal growth.
- Increases Student Retention: When students (and their parents) have a choice in where they attend school and can make a thoughtful decision, they are more likely to be satisfied and continue to re-enroll their children year after year.
- Creates a Stronger School Community: When everyone at a school is there because they chose to be there and they align with the values, learning styles, and mission of the school, naturally, a stronger, more cohesive school community is formed with greater parent involvement and support.
- Competition: You read that right! School Choice breeds a healthy sense of competition between schools, enticing schools to take action and differentiate themselves to meet their students’ needs. This improves the quality of education across the board.
Where is School Choice Headed?
This past year was once for the books when it comes to school choice expansion. The data doesn’t lie—school choice is surging in popularity across the country! Just look at these motivating stats from a recent study conducted by National School Choice Awareness Foundation.
- 20 states added or expanded school choice programs in 2023, making the largest impact on eligible families in a single year, ever.
- 72% of parents considered new school options for their kids in 2023. That’s a 35% relative increase from 2022!
- Nearly two-thirds of parents wish they had more information about education options for their children.
- 58% of families saw school choice options expand in their state!
These stats show that school choice is becoming the new normal, and more families are eager to explore new options for their children.
How To Stand Out as THE School Choice
As mentioned before, School Choice breeds a healthy sense of competition between schools, making it all the more imperative to differentiate yourself. And the data shows that school choice is not slowing down any time soon, likely resulting in even more options becoming available for families. But with so many options for families available, how can your school stand out?
- Determine what makes your school unique, and make that known to families
- Host an open house with fun activities for prospective students
- Update your website and social media with programming details, student and family success stories, and virtual tours
- Attend community events to build relationships and answer questions in person
- Stay true to you. Lean into your school’s culture and community
Remember, the goal should always be to attract the RIGHT students to your school, so always make sure you are staying true to your school and your community when trying to differentiate yourself from other schools in the area.
Here at Schola, we don’t just celebrate school choice one week of the year, but rather, all year round by continually helping families find the right school and helping schools reach their enrollment goals. If your school needs support attracting the right students to your school, getting them to commit, and nurturing them to ensure they show up on the first day of school, Schola is here to be your partner in this journey.
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