The Death of the Neighborhood School

How can urban neighborhood schools compete with the many schooling choices local parents have?

I just wrapped up a couple of district marketing audits for clients. One was for a large metropolitan city in Texas. The other was for the largest district in a midwestern state.

Though each of them had somewhat different enrollment problems, one thing they had in common was that while their magnet programs were slightly growing, their most significant enrollment drops were happening in their neighborhood schools.

Upon further research (okay, me just asking a few administrators in the Council of Great City Schools), I was told this is an issue impacting many urban districts across the country.

Why?

Is there something wrong with our neighborhood schools? Is the concept of the neighborhood school dead?

If you are a district leader who is experiencing this same dynamic, let’s talk about why this is happening — and what you can do about it.

Competitive Markets Create the Need for Differentiation

Henry Ford once famously said about his cars that “you can have any color you want — as long as it is black.” (Okay, he allegedly said that. But stick with me here.)

When you are the only school in town, you can get away with offering a very generic, standardized offering.

However, when there is more competition, everyone seeks a way to stand out from the crowd and carve their own unique identity.

If you are the “standard” school competing in a market with STEM schools, Montessori programs, dual-language schools, IB offerings, etc. don’t be surprised when people don’t naturally choose you. You have become the “boring” choice.

Every Kid is Different

This is a fundamental fact that I am sure every educator can agree with. And especially when you query parents, they will tell you that THEIR child is a unique individual with specific interests and needs.

But yet, neighborhood schools are all the same. Or at least they are perceived that way.

All too often, neighborhood schools adopt a generic model in their curriculum and culture, and then they are surprised when parents opt for a more unique and engaging model.

This presents a significant challenge for the average neighborhood school.

Many times, they have to adopt a “lowest common denominator” approach to instruction to ensure that nobody is left behind — but in doing so, they potentially sacrifice the satisfaction levels of the engaged and “wanting more” parents.

This is an extremely difficult balancing act many schools must struggle with.

You have to ensure that your struggling students are appropriately supported while still making sure that the high achievers feel that they are being challenged.

So what do you do about it?

Neither the budget nor the staffing exists to move your district into a series of stand-alone unique models. And even if you did, would you want to potentially risk alienating or frustrating the people who don’t necessarily want that style of education in their child’s school?

Create the School’s Unique Identity

I have noticed an interesting dynamic when I have worked with districts with declining neighborhood enrollment patterns.

When you review the district websites, you will see them highlighting all of their magnet schools. They will extoll the benefits of their dual-language and industry partnerships in these schools. But there doesn’t seem to be any love for the humble neighborhood school.

It is no wonder that people are not choosing them!

You and your administrative team need to think about what these schools offer and ensure that you are communicating this clearly to potential parents:

• What is special about your school?
• Why should I send my kid there?
• Why should I choose your school over the magnet school — or the slick private or charter school that is advertising in your neighborhood?

You have a great story to tell. You just are not telling it.

Perhaps your story is one (or perhaps a handful) of these points:

• Convenience: Since the neighborhood is so close to school, this makes it much easier for busy parents to take their kids to school, or it results in a shorter bus ride. Perhaps the school is even within walking distance of the neighborhood.
• Involvement: The location makes it easier for parents to be more involved in the school. Every child benefits from higher parent involvement.
• Community: This might take a bit more work, but perhaps you can get the local business community involved in supporting your school. Make this a true neighborhood school!
• Neighborhood friends: Children typically make friends with kids in their neighborhood. No parent wants to drive their kid 30 minutes for a play date. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a group of neighborhood kids for your child to build relationships with?

There are distinct benefits and a story that can be told about a neighborhood school. You need to tell it!

Unless you are a district that is 100% choice with a unique program for every school, you have neighborhood or community schools. You have to help them market themselves better to compete with the magnet and charter schools in your area.

The surprisingly good news is that those schools already have a good story. You know their benefits. And you probably know why your neighborhood families choose them.

Knowing all that, you just have to express your school’s story better than they do.

If you are interested in discussing the challenges your neighborhood schools are facing or even just what you can do to increase enrollment, get in touch here.