| In the past 10 years, the world has tried to teach | | | | When discussing this idea with one administrator |
| us many things about education and the business | | | | he said, "My board is unlikely to fire me for doing |
| of education. Before the year 2000, we thought | | | | what everyone else is doing, especially if the |
| we knew it all. There was a formula/algorithm | | | | board believes it is the right thing to do." His |
| process developed by studying the successes of | | | | school closed two years later. The entire staff |
| the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1970s, 1980s, and | | | | and board were essentially fired (laid off is the |
| 1990s the assumption was if you applied the | | | | official term). The mission ended. The host church |
| formula with diligence, success would follow. For | | | | will spend several years paying off the |
| the majority of parochial schools that was true. | | | | accumulated debt. |
| Toward the end of the 1990s, some schools | | | | Next Step: |
| noticed that the formula was breaking down. | | | | Discuss your business model (formula) with your |
| There were two reactions. One was to try | | | | board and determine how closely it parallels the |
| harder. The other was to abandon the formula | | | | business model the school was using in 1990s |
| and try something different. | | | | Determine the frailties of your current business |
| The old formula emphasized doing what you have | | | | model (Example: Why is enrollment declining or |
| been doing, do more of it, and do it better. When | | | | failing to increase?) |
| things started to slip the reaction was do one or | | | | Abandon processes that are failing to produce the |
| more of the following: | | | | results necessary to ensure sustainability |
| Increase the marketing budget and use different | | | | Find new ways to produce the desired results |
| marketing techniques | | | | rather than different ways of doing the same |
| Ask past donors for more money more often | | | | thing (Example: If marketing is unable to drive |
| Survey the current families, build on their likes, | | | | enrollment, stop marketing, and build a referral |
| and abandon their dislikes | | | | network.) |
| Cut expenses in every possible way. | | | | Earlier in this article it says, "A replacement |
| Student attrition was blamed on market forces. | | | | formula is seldom looked for". There is a reason |
| However, a viable formula includes methodologies | | | | no one has a formula. The market is fragmented. |
| that cope with the shifting market forces. | | | | There are more choices than ever before for |
| Three years ago our experience in the parochial | | | | educating a child (public schools, charter schools, |
| school market suggested that about 70% of the | | | | cyber schools, home schooling, other faith-based |
| schools were struggling. Today we believe that | | | | schools, etc.). Technology and teaching techniques |
| about 50% of the schools are struggling. | | | | are changing rapidly. The demographics of the |
| The statistics are misleading. From the statistics, | | | | neighborhoods are changing at a faster pace. The |
| one would assume the schools are stronger. | | | | economy is weak. Social values and |
| Instead, there are fewer schools and some of | | | | communication methods are changing. Very few |
| the once strong schools have lost strength. In | | | | of the traditional processes work well with the |
| addition, there have been several school mergers. | | | | parents of school age children. |
| In many cases, the mergers have created the | | | | When the level of fragmentation and change are |
| illusion of a stronger school. | | | | high, it is impossible to have a formula that will |
| Many of the mergers occurred with the | | | | work for every school. Each school must develop |
| expectation of creating economies of scale. If you | | | | its own formula to meet its specific |
| bring two or more schools together, you have an | | | | circumstances. |
| economically viable institution or so the theory | | | | The preceding is justification for a lack of a |
| goes. In the short term that is true. However, this | | | | standardized replacement. It is also justification for |
| process fails to address the underlying problem of | | | | hope. When you find your formula, you will create |
| student attrition. | | | | a uniqueness that will provide long-term |
| If the merged schools continue to use the old | | | | sustainability. |
| formula, they will return to the list of struggling | | | | Look across your community. You will probably |
| schools within 2 - 5 years. | | | | find several examples of schools that are strong |
| History has shown that abandoning the formula | | | | and have a history of being strong. In many |
| was the right decision. | | | | cases, they are the schools that abandon the |
| Why do Christian schools continue to use a failed | | | | formula years ago. If you have a frank discussion |
| formula? There are three main reasons. | | | | with your board, your school can be one with |
| Few boards believe the formula is flawed. | | | | growing strength and increasing sustainability a |
| A replacement formula is seldom looked for | | | | year from now. |
| It feels safer to follow an accepted formula during | | | | It is hard to walk away from the past, but it is |
| difficult times than it does to try something new. | | | | easier than closing a school. |