When it comes down
to it, you are in steep
competition to woo
students to your school.

Now more than ever, developing a winning strategy is critical. Charter schools, better public school programs, increasing tuition, and expectations for modern techologies and facilities have all contributed to the decline in recent years in catholic school enrollment. According to the National Catholic Education Association (NCEA), between 2000 and 2006, nearly 600 Catholic elementary and secondary schools closed and nearly 290,000 students left, almost 11 percent.

In the Boston area, a handful of schools have been able to stop and even reverse their enrollment decline. Making difficult decisions, they abolished the historic model of a parish run school and replaced it with a board dominated by laypeople. They also implemented with great success the services and direction from Catholic business leaders and institutions.

As with all changes to long established customs, these new efforts have been difficult, however the decline in student enrollment and the promised improvements make the effort worth while. Along with the students, these schools are, or soon will be, enjoying renovated buildings, new furniture and supplies, revamped curricula and a variety of new added services.

Developing a winning strategy may require taking a fresh look at your school. Set aside traditional practices and methods, and look at your school with a completely clean slate. What can be done differently? More effectively? Networking with other schools in the process of making change can provide insight. Perhaps bringing in a full-time marketing person or hiring an outside professional dedicated to the revitalization of catholic schools. When looking at facility improvements, ask yourselves difficult questions:

Could we convert our underutilized space, perhaps the convent, into new classrooms or science labs?

Can our aging building be transforned to support a 21st educational program?