Enrollment is Really All About Value

Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a reporter at our local newspaper, the Rome News-Tribune, who is writing an article about private and independent school enrollment as compared to public school enrollment. His questions were intriguing and I thought you might like to read my responses:

What are your enrollment numbers compared to last year?
Numbers on the day side look strong for fall 2011, especially at the Middle School and in early classes at the Lower School. It is still early in the season for the boarding division and re-enrollment contracts just went out a couple of weeks ago. We are seeing positive trends in re-enrollment, but we will have a better feel for those numbers in 4-6 weeks. Last summer, we had wait pools at the Lower and Middle divisions, as well as for boarding, and in looking at our numbers for the coming year, we anticipate the same.

In a year when most independent schools saw a notable decrease in enrollment, Darlington’s enrollment increased by 3.5% in fall 2010. We have found that the last thing parents want to sacrifice is their child’s education. I am proud that our families continue to make the sacrifices to ensure that their children receive the full measure of a Darlington education.

What are you doing to improve numbers?
We have adjusted our tack over the last few years to value, and we use the personal stories of our current students, families, alumni and faculty members to deliver our message that Darlington inspires a passion for success, no matter how you measure success. Enrollment numbers are based on your ability to keep your current students and find new ones. It is much easier to keep a current student than it is to find a new mission-appropriate one, so we focus a great deal of our attention on making the product of Darlington School better. Through an aggressive evaluation program, new teacher recruitment practices and attention to detail, Darlington has become a much more responsible school in terms of its promise to the families that choose us as a partner in educating and growing their child.
 
Why do you think more people are going to private schools?
According to national polls, it is safety, quality faculty members and the opportunity to be around like-minded individuals. Darlington is the only independent PK-12 school in Northwest Georgia. We are different from public and other private schools in that we are free to make the best decisions for our students, families and faculty based on their needs – not the needs of a governing entity that is not as focused on continuing to make Darlington the best product it can be.
 
What is the appeal private schools, in particular Darlington, have to parents?
As a parent of three boys, I want to give my children every opportunity possible to be nurtured and challenged so that they are empowered to make good decisions on their own. Darlington, in particular, emphasizes a passion for learning, acting with integrity and serving others with respect. These are the building blocks of a successful life. That is what every parent wants – we simply have a great formula to deliver it.
 
Does tuition play a part in enrollment?
Yes, but I have found that when families visit our campus – when they see for themselves what Darlington can do, when they experience the strong sense of community, and when they hear our families’ success stories firsthand – they find a way to make it work. 

While we are more expensive than other schools in our community, we deliver a more robust program than many metro-Atlanta schools – and we do it at a lower price. That is an exceptional value for our community of Rome/Floyd County. We also find that we price our tuition differently than many other schools in this area. Our tuition covers lunch, fees and most school activities. Other schools require you to pay extra for these amenities, so when you add it up, the price differential is actually not that wide.