Factors Influencing Retention of Students for Independent School Re-Enrollment

Abstract

Independent school leaders are continually faced with the challenges of declining enrollment and expanding public options and currently lack a mechanism to understand what influences parents’ reenrollment choices. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a theoretical framework for reenrollment decisions in secular and Catholic independent schools. Participants included parents of children currently enrolled in one of six independent elementary/middle schools in the greater metropolitan region of Upstate New York. Results confirmed that affordability, espoused values, individual attention, sense of community, development/growth, and continuity/friendships predicted parents’ reenrollment intentions. Our research underscored the importance of understanding parents’ motives and demonstrated the efficacy of a valid measure for independent schools to assess and act on parents’ perceptions and intentions.