Small and private schools tend to have trouble increasing school enrollment from time to time. Public schools remain the primary type of school parents send their children to. It is typically free and more convenient for most. However, small and private schools offer other benefits that public schools cannot. Those schools have smaller class sizes, so students get more attention and assistance. The curriculum can be curated to what parents want their children to learn. So, to attract more families to your small or private school, you need to know the struggles and the strategies to increase enrollment!

The Struggle Small Schools Are Facing in Increasing Enrollment Numbers

Small schools often struggle with initial enrollment and the re-enrollment of students. Here are some of the struggles you need to look out for in your small school!

#1: Difficulty with Financial Aid Prospects

Many parents are encouraged to send their kids to public schools because it is free. Small and private schools may have the financial aid aspect they offer, but it doesn’t ensure that they will get any. So, there are always students who cannot afford tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. This can be a considerable struggle for small schools because they have to turn away students who can’t afford it.

#2: It is Expensive to Build a Good Reputation for the School

It takes time and money to build a reputation that can attract families. Not all small or private schools have the luxury of both time and money. Some need to grow their school enrollment quickly to survive. So, they may not have time to build a reputation, and parents instead choose public schools or more established private schools.

#4: The School May Not Have the Curriculum Parents Want Their Kids to Learn

A curriculum that revolves around different interests is essential. If you offer a specialized course, it needs to be what parents want their children to learn. This can be difficult for small and private schools because they typically cannot provide this. Private schools can take more liberties with their curriculum than public schools. However, you cannot appeal to every parent.

#5: Schools Try to be Everything for Everyone

This is a common mistake among small and private schools trying to attract more families. They try to offer everything when in reality, they can’t. They need to focus on what they do best and attract families with that. It can be a waste of time and money to try to do too much in their school, try to find your niche!

 5 Strategies to Attract More Families and Students

Now that you know the struggles small schools or private schools face, it’s time to learn about the strategies! Here are five enrollment strategies for private schools and small schools.

#1: Focus on What You Do Best

Don’t necessarily try to be everything for everyone. If you are a small school, focus on being the best in your community at providing one kind of education. If you are a private school, then offer that specialized curriculum that is most popular. You will increase enrollment numbers when families know what they can expect from your school!

#2: Make Financial Aid a Priority

Declare to the community that financial aid is a priority for your school. This way, you increase the chances of parents believing in you and investing in their child’s education. You will have lower enrollment numbers if families don’t feel safe investing in tuition at your school.

#3: Know Where You Stand

Understand your school’s financial condition. This will help you make smart financial decisions in the future. The right funding can go a long way in attracting more families to your small or private school!

#4: Provide Incentives for Enrollment

A free scholarship for each child referred, a discounted tuition fee if a certain number of students enroll, a discounted rate for siblings, etc., are all great incentives for families to invest in their child’s education at your school. The more you can offer them, the higher your chances of increasing enrollment numbers! They do not need to be large incentives, but just something you can reward new families with!

#5: Make Your School Visible

Keep advertising and promoting your small or private school. This increases the chances of a parent learning about your school and sending their kids there. This way, you will increase your school enrollment numbers! Enrollment marketing is vital to making your school visible. Market your school the best you can on paper, social media, and other school forum areas.

By implementing these five strategies, small and private schools can successfully attract more families and students. It takes extra work, but it’ll be worth it when you see those enrollment numbers increasing!

As you can see, small schools and private schools have a lot of struggles when increasing their enrollment numbers. They may not have the resources or reputation that larger schools have. The good news is that you can utilize these five strategies to attract more families and students to your school! All it takes is hard work, time, and knowledge of what works best for your school.

SchoolCues is an all-in-one school management system for small schools with limited budgets and resources. Our solutions include admissions and enrollment, online payments, student information system, gradebook, communications, parent engagement, donations and fundraising, alumni management, and more. Schedule a demo with us today.