ThinK-12 Families™ for Public Schools/Districts
Public school enrollment is facing an existential crisis. And while COVID has made matters worse, schools and districts were already experiencing declining enrollment long before the pandemic. Families who delayed kindergarten starts, homeschooled, sent their kids to private school or switched to virtual school meant lost revenue for schools and districts whose funding is tied to enrollment. Not to mention declining birth rates in many parts of the U.S. In the post-COVID world, experts predict a continued and increased enrollment decline for public schools, which will create a devastating downward spiral impacting every part of education, including:
Student academic and non-academic resources
Building infrastructure
Mental health services
Extra-curricular activities/Sports
Graduation rates
Shortage of teachers, their quality, training and pay rates
School technology investment
Shortage of teachers, their quality, training and pay rates
College and career planning
College-goers
Unless we change the trend
While there are many variables to improving education, it all starts with driving and protecting student enrollment. School funding impacts everything, and its connection to enrollment is the only constant. Today, District and School Leaders have the power to stabilize and even grow their enrollment, leading to higher and more predictable funding.
At ThinK-12, we believe schools and districts must change the way they view themselves before they can change the way students and families view them. It’s time for a world where schools and districts market themselves the way colleges and universities have done for a hundred years. Most public schools and districts feel they don’t need to market themselves because they have a ‘built-in” customer base. This is a dangerous position to take. Today, educational opportunities are global, not local. Parents have already demonstrated this by opting for private, virtual or home schooling even though the public school is a mile from their home. Location is NO LONGER the deciding factor when education is at stake.
This geo-convenient thinking is risky for district and school leaders and does not reflect today’s education environment. Yes, there will always be families who attend your school because it’s the traditional “school district map” model (we call this E.G.E™…see below), but more and more families are realizing they now have other- and in some cases- better options.
Your role as a district or school leader is to acknowledge this new reality and change the way you run your business (yes, your BUSINESS).
“I teach future district and school leaders the two most important factors in running successful schools; Enrollment and Retention of future and Current families and Recruitment and Retention of future and current staff is in your control and must be managed.”
Dr. Joanne Harrison
Former Deputy Superintendent
School Board of Broward County
School Board of Broward County
Public Education is at a tipping point.
And that’s where the team at ThinK-12 comes in. For more than 20 years, we have worked with thousands of colleges and universities to help them create and market their brand to students and families. And now we’re bringing that experience to K-12.
For both K-12 and Higher Ed, revenue drives success and enrollment drives revenue. It’s time K-12 schools and districts used marketing strategies and tools to attract families to their brand. Yes. Their BRAND.
At ThinK-12, we use our decades of experience in Higher Ed marketing and technology to create strong brands and incredible user experiences for K-12 schools and districts. This drives enrollment, which drives district and school revenue, and that affects every facet of educational success for your school.
Every district and school has a great story to tell. If they don’t know what it is, we uncover it. Or create it. And then create comprehensive plans to promote it. With interactive tools to engage new and current families.
Why now?
Because it’s more important than ever that districts and schools take control of their future by taking control of their enrollment. Yes, even within a district schools must compete for enrollment, and not simply rely on E.G.E.™…
- nrollment
- eographic
- xpectation
(E.G.E.; A school or district’s expectation that families in its
geographic area will naturally attend their schools).
geographic area will naturally attend their schools).
ThinK-12 Families is a revolutionary approach to driving enrollment and retention for independent schools. It’s a web and mobile solution that supercharges school websites and communication with richer experiences for prospective and current families.
