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How the Pandemic is Causing Heads to Reimagine Independent Schools

Results from our survey of 80+ independent school leaders

EAB recently conducted the Reimagine Independent Schools survey in response to the remarkable agility and innovation demonstrated by our Independent School Executive Forum partners during the pandemic.

Below are three key observations from the survey results and our recommendations for how schools can respond to the successes, challenges, and new opportunities presented by the COVID-19 crisis as they evolve into a post-vaccine world:

• Heads of school still struggle with innovation
• Leaders are split on whether to embrace virtual opportunities going forward
• Remote events will need to be balanced with in-person community building

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Heads of school still struggle with innovation

Of the 73 heads of school that responded to this question, 12 reported that they continue to struggle in adopting an innovative mindset. For example, many heads hesitate to continue integrating technology into their student and community experience (case in point: a mere 21% want to offer virtual advancement events, in spite of their success at many schools). As tempting as it is to return to pre-COVID normalcy, the integration of technology in the world of education is likely here to stay.

“Many are still afraid of change. Even as we have done nothing but change and adapt over the course of the last 11 months, folks still hold onto what used to be.”

Head of School Co-Ed K-12, Northeast

Recommendations for continuing innovation

Schools should first create a task force to surface areas of teaching and learning and school operations that have improved outcomes or efficiencies to consider which to adopt permanently, using the list below as a starting point.

1. Determine the best fit for remote learning

Qualitative responses suggest many heads are interested in exploring virtual offerings for students next year. How can your school expand beyond existing in-person courses and extracurricular offerings? Are there opportunities to hire remote faculty members, either for full courses or master classes, that would add to the variety and quality of programs available to your students?

2. Repurpose your investment in technology

Many schools invested significant amounts of money in technology throughout the pandemic, but survey results indicate that few seem to have fully considered how to use it once they return to full in-person learning. What opportunities are there to differentiate your school in the market (both among local public schools and competing independent schools) using this technology?

3. Consider “unbundling,” “a la carte,” and additional service offerings

Several heads of school mentioned the potential for new offerings for partially-enrolled or virtually-enrolled students in a wider market. Could separate offerings (e.g. single courses, college counseling, extracurriculars) for those outside of the existing community be provided in a way that is mission-aligned? Could these new services be a viable source of revenue in your market? In what ways could they potentially help or hurt your brand?

4. Rethink the use of facilities

As the pandemic forced schools to rethink how students learn and move around campus, the use of facilities shifted dramatically. Consider whether there are opportunities to maximize use of on-campus facilities by reorganizing learning and working spaces for students and employees alike. Can you save on facility wear-and-tear by staggering use of certain spaces? Can other spaces be converted to be used as multi-purpose facilities? Is there room for other types of cost-savings related to facility use?

5. Redesign the student schedule

The pandemic challenged our thinking around where and how students learn; in fact, several heads commented specifically on how the student schedule is an area where they wish to innovate. How have schedules changed over the past year? How have these changes offered new benefits to students (e.g. allowing for greater flexibility, more student autonomy)? How have adjustments to schedules benefited teachers (e.g. more time for planning and grading, opportunity for individualized student attention, experimenting with techniques like flipped classrooms)?

6. Seek out opportunities for employee cost-sharing/savings

While most school staff members will make their way back to campus post-vaccine, there are opportunities to consider whether this shift is necessary for all employees. Schools ought to consider which current roles (if they become vacant) could be filled by hiring a remote employee, outsourced through a third-party vendor, or shared with another school to achieve cost savings or hire an individual with greater expertise. Look at your current org chart and consider-are there places where changes could be made to lead to greater operational efficiency?

Leaders are split on whether to embrace virtual learning opportunities going forward

These divergent perspectives among school leaders demonstrate a conflict that is not entirely unsurprising, as many organizations struggle with how much to adapt to a new post-vaccine world order and how much to return to some semblance of pre-COVID “normalcy.”

“I think COVID has provided something for the two major camps about education tech: Those who have been eagerly awaiting the revolution and those who believe that brick-and-mortar school is the only way to go.”

Head of School All Boys PreK-12, Mid-Atlantic

According to the survey, four times as many heads are open to changing how independent schools deliver their experience to students (29 responses), versus those who believe that returning to being in-person fully is the best option (7 responses). This indicates that survey respondents skew heavily in the direction of openness to change, even if the extent of the integration of virtual learning remains to be seen. Indeed, as the table below indicates, while virtual experiences were widespread on campuses this year, much uncertainty remains about which remote offerings to continue next year, particularly when it comes to options for students and faculty.

Comparison of Virtual Offerings: Actual Offerings in 2020-2021 vs. Intended Offerings in 2021-2022

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Recommendations for providing virtual experiences

1. Virtual classes are a powerful tool, particularly for older students

While most agree that in-person learning is difficult to replicate, virtual classes allow students to attend who would otherwise miss out due to travel for athletic events, family trips or relocations, and long-term illness. Furthermore, it allows schools to explore the possibility of partnering with outside networks to offer additional courses beyond those taught by current faculty members (e.g. more obscure world languages, advanced mathematics courses, unusual electives).

Perhaps this is the reason why in open-ended survey responses, “remote learning” was the most-cited new opportunity heads wish to pursue post-vaccine (noted by 18 out of 63 heads that responded to this question). For those schools that are seriously exploring this option, clear criteria must be set for when students can enroll in such courses.

Virtual Instruction Checklist

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2. Virtual meetings for faculty provide flexibility, particularly for working parents and those with long commutes

Meetings for faculty and staff do not all need to be in-person, especially when trying to be sensitive to those who have obligations outside of work or face long commutes. Allowing for this type of flexibility can provide greater work-life balance and boost morale by accommodating employees’ differing needs and constraints.

3. Virtual meetings/events for current or prospective parents build inclusivity

Feedback from heads from the survey and research interviews has been overwhelmingly positive about the benefits of virtual events for current and prospective parents. Yet the survey data shows that only 60% of heads want to continue to offer virtual parent teacher conferences and 48% will continue to provide virtual prospective family meetings next year.

By allowing parents to attend meetings and events remotely, schools create a space for greater inclusivity for those parents who work long hours, live far from school, or do not have an easy way to attend in-person events. As part of their ongoing commitment to DEIJ work, heads of school should also commit to continuing to offer virtual events for parents when possible.

• 0%

of heads want to continue to offer virtual parent teacher conferences

Remote events will need to be balanced with in-person community building

It’s no surprise that remote meetings and events are a popular option that heads of school wish to continue: they are low-cost and can be offered for wide-ranging audiences within the community. Yet a handful of heads also mentioned in their open-ended responses the need to get back to thinking about in-person events and restoring relationships. As one head of school put it: “Innovation is not our focus right now. Rebuilding community is.”

“Innovation is not our focus right now. Rebuilding community is.”

Head of School Co-ed PreK-12, Southwest

Recommendations for virtual vs. in-person events

Virtual meetings and events should continue for the reasons mentioned above. However, of equal importance is the need to prioritize in-person events and activities that emphasize community-building. Below, we have put together a list of considerations for schools weighing whether a meeting or event should be held in-person, virtually, or both:

• What is the goal of the meeting/event? Is it possible to meet this goal in a virtual setting or is in-person attendance required? Could both options be simultaneously accommodated effectively and with ease?
• What are the costs associated with holding this event in-person versus virtually (e.g. a speaker lecture, advancement activity)? Is something less tangible lost by holding the event virtually (i.e. intimacy, audience engagement)? What is gained by offering it virtually?
• Can activities incorporated into this meeting or event be translated into a virtual setting?
• Who will attend this event if it is held in-person? Who will attend if it is held virtually?
• Is the reason for holding this event in-person based on tradition? If so, is it important to maintain this tradition? Why?
• How are the school’s DEIJ priorities being considered when planning whether this event is in-person or virtual?

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