Enrollment Strategy
.avif)
Ahhhhh, it's almost summer. Parents dream about vacations, students dream about sleeping in. But for enrollment and marcom leaders, summer is when the real work begins. Even after June 1, this is the season where your school's community can either grow stronger or fall apart. In addition to keeping your enrollment numbers stable, preventing summer attrition means protecting your school’s financial future, its brand, and its culture.
This blog will cover strategies for curbing summer attrition in private and independent schools. You’ll learn why students leave, what you can do right now, and how to turn the summer months into your school’s secret weapon.
Summer Attrition Matters More Than Ever
Summer attrition quietly erodes everything you’ve worked for all year. According to NAIS, independent schools experience an average attrition rate of 7.4%, with elementary and middle schools seeing numbers as high as 10.3% during the summer months. Losing just a handful of students can start a domino effect:
Lost Tuition Revenue
Every student who leaves equals an empty seat and lost revenue. Your admissions team will feel the pressure to scramble for late summer enrollments—which rarely support your carefully set tuition models and can compromise your school's culture.
Disrupted Classroom Communities
Fewer returning students means reshuffling class lists, reducing the number of classes in a grade, or even dropping course offerings. Rapid changes impact classroom culture and teacher morale.
Strained Resources and Staff
Last-minute recruiting is expensive and exhausting for your team. It pulls focus away from long-term brand elevation, parent engagement, and meaningful community-building.
Summer attrition isn’t a passive risk; it’s a solvable challenge. Schools that frame summer as a time for intentional engagement, not just a pause, win big in enrollment, retention, and culture.
Why Families Leave During the Summer
Before creating a summer anti-attrition plan, know your enemy. Here are the main reasons families decide not to return:
Major Life Changes
Economic uncertainty, job relocations, or health issues can drive even the most loyal families to leave. Things are especially volatile for K-8 schools, where median summer attrition hits double digits.
Competing Educational Options
With the steady rise of public charters, online academies, and specialized private schools, parents are more willing than ever to shop around. Early summer is prime “school shopping” season.
Dissatisfaction and “Fit” Gaps
This is often the silent killer. Dissatisfaction can simmer silently until summer brings reflection time. Maybe a parent felt out of the loop, or a student didn’t see themselves reflected in the community. A lack of clear, proactive communication during the off-season can make families feel overlooked.
Proactive Strategies for Preventing Summer Attrition
Summer can be your enrollment secret weapon. But only if you act now, intentionally and strategically.
Strengthen Family Communication
- Personalized Check-Ins- Reach out with end-of-year reflections and summer transition plans. Ask about families' hopes for next year, and actually listen.
- Celebrate Milestones- Acknowledge grade completions, achievements, and unique contributions. Share “remember when” stories, photos, and personalized messages. Families want to feel their child is genuinely known and valued.
Personalize Your Retention Efforts
- Assign Retention Champions- Appoint key staff, teachers, or volunteers to make proactive, personal connections with families you know are "at risk.”
- Custom Engagement Plans- Develop summer checklists for at-risk families, including events, communications, and points of contact. Set milestones and track touchpoints in your CRM.
Early Re-Enrollment Incentives
- Offer Real Rewards- If you need to get more families to commit after a contract binding date or deadline, consider waived fees, or priority class selections for those who re-enroll before July. Promote these incentives with engaging social media posts and direct emails.
- Clear Communication- Be transparent about dates, benefits, and next steps to encourage prompt action.
Engaging Families During the "Off-Season"
A commitment to providing a stellar experience for families shouldn't end when classes aren't in session. Here are a few ideas for keeping current families engaged and connected throughout the summer months.
Virtual Family Touchpoints
- Virtual Coffee with the Head or Division Director- Host monthly Zoom check-ins. Keep it relaxed and open to any questions.
- Summer Storytime & Speaker Series- Family-friendly virtual experiences with guest readers, alumni panels, or expert presenters keep brand visibility high.
Academic and Social Enrichment
- Curated Resource Kits- Send home grade-level reading lists, math challenges, or project supplies. “Summer Success Kits” provide a tangible connection to your school’s value every week of vacation.
- Social Challenges- Run social media “challenge weeks,” like sharing art projects or favorite summer reads, to maintain engagement and create community even from afar.
Consistent Communication Across All Channels
- Summer Newsletters- Highlight upcoming year plans, introduce new teachers, and feature students and staff. Build excitement for the year ahead.
- Personal Outreach- Call or handwrite notes to families you haven’t heard from. When parents hear from a real person, it makes all the difference.
- Keep Your Social Channels Active- Post student spotlights, summer camp highlights, and behind-the-scenes teacher prep to keep your brand visible and warm.
Turning Data Into Action: Know Which Families Need You Most
Strong enrollment management teams don’t just wait for attrition to happen. They use data-driven insights to predict and prevent losses.
Identify Early Warning Signs
- Missed Re-Enrollment Dates- Identify families who have missed the soft deadline for submitting their paperwork.
- Low Engagement- Take note of families who are not participating in end-of-year events, enrolling in summer programs, or responding to surveys.
Collect and Analyze Feedback
- Satisfaction Surveys- Distribute concise end-of-year evaluations with specific, open-ended questions about what worked, what didn’t, and what’s missing.
- Exit Interviews- Never miss the chance to interview a departing family. Their insights might be difficult to hear but they can be gold for your future retention efforts.
Take Advantage of Predictive Tools
- CRM Dashboards- Use enrollment software or a robust CRM to create “attrition risk dashboards.” Data like event attendance, survey scores, and direct engagement can all be tracked.
- Actionable Segmentation- Categorize families as “Safe,” “Monitor,” or “At Risk” and assign action steps for each.
Example Integration:
Set automated reminders to nudge champions to personally check in when engagement metrics drop. This small investment can pay huge dividends in retention.
Turning Summer Into Your School’s Strategic Advantage
The schools that win the summer don’t see June to August as downtime. They see it as prime time to invest in what matters most:
- Personalized, meaningful communication with every family
- Non-stop engagement through creative programs and community experiences
- Proactive, data-driven support for the families at the highest risk of leaving
The big takeaway? Summer attrition isn't inevitable, and it doesn’t have to be a black box. Schools that make a meaningful effort to stay connected to their current families during the "off-season" don’t just keep enrollment steady—they build a loyal, engaged, and excited community.
Your families want to know they matter. Show them at every turn, all summer long, and watch your numbers soar.
