More Trends Confirmed

Want to know what’s on the strategic mind of other independent schools and colleges across the country?  ISA has just completed a few rounds of new research for schools and colleges this past three months, gearing up for new projects.  As always with this sort of research, we are simply identifying the strategic issues facing independent schools and colleges across the nation.  Looking closely at the research so far, here are some themes.

Curricular Relevance – Is what we teach and how we teach it continuing to be relevant for a changing world?

Accessibility and Affordability – Can we continue to follow our high tuition/high aid strategy and is our financial future viable and sustainable?  Can we continue to follow our pricing model?

Vision and Identity – Have we created a compelling case for our school or college and does anyone really care?

Competitive Environment – Will we be able to position ourselves accordingly in our competitive landscape?  Should we find ways to collaborate with our competition, such as opportunities for consortiums or cost sharing vehicles or curriculum integration?

Optimization of Fixed Assets – How can we leverage our fixed assets, such as facilities, to offset expenses or generate income.

We’ll keep watching the landscape and share back what we are learning periodically.