Lessons from a mom looking for the right kindergarten
Written by Lauren Empson
“Early Dismissal.” That was the subject line in the email from my son’s and daughter’s daycare on March 9, 2020. What started as “we’ll be back in touch tonight with news about when the school will reopen” turned into nearly a year and a half of juggling remote work while raising a two year old and seven month old. (BIG shoutout to all working mothers and families! Everyone has had their own unique struggles, especially over the past several years. I see you. I applaud you!)
Thankfully, we were able to find a preschool that was not only accepting new children at a price we could manage, but was also one that we felt was taking appropriate steps to maintain the health of its students, staff and families.
Now, 18 months later, with a soon-to-be five year old (bawling emoji), I’m facing an equally difficult decision: selecting a kindergarten.
As a parent who is aware of the schooling options available – one who *wants* to send her kids to public schools – I’m sharing a few steps I wish my local school district had taken over the past few months:
1. Understand the need to market yourself.
Parents know they have options other than their local public school. And even if they don’t, they will, whether from friends, family or local mom blogs and social platforms. The word is out there. And these alternative options are often really good at marketing their schools. I’ve received brochures, emails and even offers from local school leaders to meet in-person or over the phone to learn more about their school. Meanwhile, I was searching our public school district’s difficult-to-navigate website just to find my local elementary school’s name and whether the school boundaries had changed (yet again) from the prior year. Which brings me to my second point…
2. Create easily accessible resources for parents.
Don’t leave it to parents knowing what to Google and where to go on your district website. Make resources clear and easy-to-understand – then, think of ways to get that information into parents’ hands. Find some tips for your district’s SEO here!
But don’t forget caregivers such as grandparents, either. Remember that a strong online presence isn’t enough. Consider tactics such as phone calls, texts and postcards, too.
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3. Know the deadlines and reach out early.
In many areas, private, charter and other alternative schools start their application processes in the fall. I reached out to my local elementary school to schedule a tour or a meeting to learn more about the school. They told me their outreach to new kindergarten families didn’t start until the new year – which is when other schools’ enrollment deadlines were finishing. I fully agree that current students and learning come first, yet with falling enrollment numbers, there’s a real need to reach out and help prospective parents build an understanding and trust in your school. Simply put? Help them choose you.
4. Help parents know and love your school.
Parents have many different reasons for sending their children to private or alternative schools. It’s important for school and district leaders to understand what barriers parents are facing when it comes to public school enrollment. The better you understand these values, the better you can position the unique value-add your school offers to students and their families. Create unique opportunities that help parents hear your value add and build their trust of you and your school. For example, organize parent meetup events where current parents meet with prospective parents to talk about the school!
Again, this is just my personal story. I recognize that even considering alternative school options is a point of privilege. But public school enrollment declines are projected to drop even further by fall 2030. If we hope to turn the tides, public schools need to rethink their enrollment approach and how they reach out to families. We can’t just take for granted that families will automatically send their children to public schools.
Want to start now? We’ve developed a free guide for district and school leaders with a concrete, seven-step process you can take to help boost your enrollment numbers.
