‘You can’t re-enroll too early’: SchoolBox helps fledgling Christian schools with re-enrollment and retention
As schools enter the second semester, the time is now to start asking families about re-enrollment.
That’s according to Jonathan Edmondson of SchoolBox, a Herzog Foundation program that has…

As schools enter the second semester, the time is now to start asking families about re-enrollment.
That’s according to Jonathan Edmondson of SchoolBox, a Herzog Foundation program that has helped launch more than 260 Christian schools in the last two years. (The foundation also publishes The Lion.)
The average school launches with about 26 students, Edmondson says. An important part of growing that number is keeping the families you currently have.
“For schools that are in those first five years, it really comes down to answering the question, ‘How can they make sure that their enrollment deadline is conducive to bringing in new students?’ – and then also getting commitments from their existing families,” Edmondson says. “Something a lot of school founders overlook is the need to get this recommitment, and early.”
Herzog recently launched SchoolBox 2.0 to help newer schools continue to thrive after launching. Research shows that early commitments to re-enrollment, especially before public school deadlines, can help retain families.
“The first thing for schools is just being aware of when those deadlines are,” Edmondson says, noting that many are in March, although “they vary wildly by school districts. Even in the same state there’s not necessarily congruity.”
After awareness of the public school calendar, Christian schools can start marketing efforts to reach parents. And don’t worry about starting too early or messaging parents too often.
“I heard of one Christian school recently that was re-enrolling starting in November,” Edmondson said. “A lot of schools are asking for commitments earlier and earlier of a notice to or intent to return.”
SchoolBox has brought on an advisor to work with a cohort of 75 established schools. During the initial startup phase, SchoolBox provides qualified schools with a mentor as they go through the launch process. Now, Advisor Don Davis is working with schools that have launched to help them thrive.
According to Davis, he’s never heard a complaint that a Christian school advertised too much or messaged too often about re-enrollment. In fact, he’s heard the opposite, which is something SchoolBox 2.0 is seeking to change.
Edmondson says schools can utilize marketing tools such as social media advertising, announcements in church bulletins and messages and phone calls to parents. Some schools even post radio and TV ads or billboards, depending on their size and target market.
Outside of SchoolBox, the Herzog Foundation also offers a Marketing and Enrollment training that is free for school leaders, part of the organization’s mission of advancing Christian education through worldclass training.
When schools ask for a re-enrollment commitment from families, it typically includes a deposit, which is often applied to the following year’s tuition. Edmondson advises having conversations with families “frankly and early” to address any issues or concerns they may have.
Schools should retain about 90% of students, even in their initial years, he says. If this isn’t happening, it could be signs of a “red flag,” but all hope is not lost.
“If a family says they don’t want to re-enroll, that can also be an opportunity to understand why they’re planning on leaving,” Edmondson says. “It might not even be too late in that situation.
“If you’re enrolling early enough you can have a conversation and maybe make adjustments that make that family comfortable to stay. And if not, at least the school knows and they can plan their marketing efforts going forward or possibly realign teachers or resources.”
Herzog’s marketing training is one of its most popular for both startup and established schools because it explains how keeping the students is less costly than attracting new ones.
Asking for commitments also reassures parents that the school is going to be there the following year, which is especially important for recently launched schools.
“There’s a lot of instability that parents feel in those first few years,” Edmondson says. “They’re taking a risk sending their kids to this brand new school so anything you can do to give them peace of mind and say, ‘Yes, we’re going to be here next year. Would you like to commit?’ – they might just feel comforted by that.”
For schools that haven’t launched re-enrollment efforts, now is the time to start.
“You almost can’t implement it early enough and you really can’t over-advertise,” Edmondson says. “Now is not too late to start, but you might need to start sooner than you think.”
For more information on SchoolBox and Herzog trainings, visit herzogfoundation.com