In the current context, more and more parents in the United States are opting out of community public schools and choosing alternative educational methods. This trend has become prevalent, posing a challenge to public schools and providing opportunities for enrollment intermediaries.
As enrollment in public schools across the United States significantly decreases, it has led to the flourishing business of enrollment intermediaries. One such company has been hired to provide student recruitment services for over a hundred school districts in 27 states. This includes promoting the advantages of public schools, such as extracurricular activities, to counter the trend of parents turning to charter schools, homeschooling, or school choice programs.
This phenomenon has spread from cities to suburban and rural areas in the later stages of the pandemic, influenced by school choice laws in states like Arizona (providing education vouchers) and federal tax credit scholarships supported by the Trump administration. Public schools are facing intense competition, with reduced funding due to the loss of students. The CEO of the company stated that the demand for their services is increasing, highlighting the challenges and transformation pressure within the public education system.
The enrollment intermediary company, Caissa K12, is based in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially focused on political campaigns, after providing student recruitment services for the past decade, the company has expanded to serve over a hundred school districts in 27 states, including major cities like Memphis, Orlando, and Newark, as well as dozens of other districts.
Brian Stephens, the CEO of the company, told Fox News Digital Channel, “We initially focused on the local area and gradually expanded into this region. Although we haven’t reached the point where we need to abandon the sinking ship of public school entirely, the number of calls we receive for help in recruiting students back is increasing.”
The company’s recruitment methods include arranging face-to-face interactions between promotional staff and local parents within the districts.
Stephens mentioned, “All we hear is how bad public schools are, as they are an easy target. They are the largest and oldest institutions, and now with these ‘new choices,’ people tend to think the ‘new’ ones are better. So what we do is simply present the facts. We would say this district offers 186 extracurricular activities, excelling in this aspect, so if you like these school’s features, choose it.”
Stephens stated that they are now starting to expand from the East Coast to the West Coast.
“We haven’t fully expanded our business to the other side of the Rockies yet. We’ve done some work in Arizona and New Mexico, and we’ve just started reaching out to California,” he said.
He added, “The trend of school choice is becoming more apparent, with an increasing number of requests we receive.”
Previously, Fox News Digital Channel reported that several states, following Arizona’s lead, have passed universal school choice legislation in response to parents seeking alternative educational options outside traditional public schools. These laws are introducing competition in the education sector, allowing parents to choose schools outside their district, posing challenges for districts, especially in large cities, striving to retain students.
For example, Arizona initiated an $800 million “Universal School Choice Program,” offering parents $7,000 educational vouchers for their children’s educational expenses. It was reported that the Tucson Unified School District recently faced financial and enrollment challenges, losing up to $20 million as parents ignored the district.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of parents opting for homeschooling, indicating a growing decision to no longer rely on public schools. Charter schools are also becoming another favored choice for parents.
As the Chief Architect of Public School Enrollment Strategy, Stephens told Fox News Digital Channel that education vouchers and charter schools are compelling public schools to compete, leading them to seek the expertise of enrollment intermediary company Caissa K12.
He said, “The more students they enroll, the more taxpayer funds the schools receive. So, competition begins in more densely populated, larger communities… The school choice trend has been ongoing for about 20 years, especially in states like Louisiana and Arizona. This trend has now expanded to suburban areas and even rural areas since the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The Trump administration pushed for school choice nationwide, making significant progress, including establishing federal tax credit scholarships, offering people across the country the opportunity to support their state’s school choice programs, bypassing restrictions on opposing school choice.
Stephens stated, “I believe the school choice system truly makes all schools realize they need to enhance their performance.”