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How Will Private Schools Survive? Part 2

By Avery Lawrence, DCschoolHUB Correspondent

In part one we went through some of the sobering statistics about private schools and their swift decline in popularity and enrollment. I like problems because they give you something to do: solve them. Also in part one I laid the groundwork for which schools I feel will survive and how. In part two we’ll dive deeper into which schools have the best chance of saying ‘welcome to the new school year’.

Which Ones Will Survive:

  1. The Apotheosized BIGs –  The big schools in DC proper that are sited in every Tanya, Dick, and Harriet article about DC area private schools. See part one for the full description.
  2. The Disrupters – Traditional is out. I want a school that allows students to zip line from class to class AND explain to me how brain research demonstrates how that improves cognitive functioning and will help my little bundle of joy be accepted to Princeton (Harvard is so overused). Seriously though, sort of, the schools that will survive are those who adapt to the desires of parents AND kids. Wowing families needs to be visible. Don’t believe me? Find out from your favorite private school what the CTR is of the webpage with the curriculum guide. I bet it’s way down there. At the top: 1. Tuition 2. Anything that reads exciting and you think your kids will want to do.

 

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How Can They Survive:

  1. Lower your dang tuition! – Nuff said. See part one for the full description.
  2. Acumenical Studies – No, I didn’t spell ecumenical wrong. I don’t even know what that means. What I mean is that kids should be studying things that will actually help them become better people. English, yes. Math, yes. Science. Maybe. Social studies, ehhh. Let’s be honest, do you really need to know what a noble gas is or who shot JFK? They are interesting and if you want to pursue careers in science and history you should definitely learn about them. But how about PMI is, what about an ETF? I have yet to meet a 65 year old who wished they knew the difference between a cell wall and a cell membrane. I have met several 65 year olds who cannot understand why their retirement fund will only last for 5 years.