As the world becomes ever more interconnected and as economic dynamics shift, the demand for English-language education is exploding. This demand is resulting in significant changes in existing K–12 educational programs — and the emergence of new options.
To unpack the opportunities and challenges presented by the ever-changing global marketplace, the Secondary School Admission Test Board recently released the report Understanding the International Market: A Primer for Independent School Enrollment Leaders, Heads, and Boards. In this report, we look at three aspects of international education and their impact on the independent school marketplace.
The international export of U.S. education
U.S. universities have the largest number of post-secondary branch campuses abroad, and some independent schools are now launching into international markets with their own place-based programs to increase all-school revenue, expand their international curriculum, and/or enhance overall prestige and visibility for their U.S. “headquarters” schools.
U.S. universities have the largest number of post-secondary branch campuses abroad, and some independent schools are now launching into international markets with their own place-based programs to increase all-school revenue, expand their international curriculum, and/or enhance overall prestige and visibility for their U.S. “headquarters” schools.
The growth of English-medium schools worldwide
International schools are changing — no longer just serving expat communities. Indeed, many local residents in various countries worldwide have expressed growing interest in an English-speaking education because of the emphasis on academic excellence, research, and educational opportunities. It also provides flexibility for students to grow and supports students’ long-term career prospects.
In 2000, there were 1 million students in 2,854 global English-medium international schools, according to ISC Research Ltd., a leading source of market intelligence in the area of international English-speaking schools. By January 2016, this number jumped to 4.36 million students in 8,218 schools.
Credit: SSATB report: "Understanding the International Market: A Primer for Independent School Enrollment Leaders, Heads, and Boards"
The enrollment of international students in U.S. and Canadian boarding and day schools
In 2011, The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) reported that its member schools enrolled more than twice as many international students as they did in 1994–95 and that the number of international students increases by 3,500 every eight years.
According to SSATB’s recent state of the industry survey (to be published this summer), 48 percent of 652 responding schools (97 percent of boarding schools and 37 percent of day schools) enrolled international students in the 2015-2016 school year.
For any and all schools looking to enter the international student market — or expand within it — one message rings loud and clear among the practitioners whom we interviewed: It’s a complex endeavor that school leaders must handle thoughtfully.
Here are five guiding principles:
1. Gain a full understanding of the market.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School (Minnesota), a coed boarding and day school serving 472 students in grades 6-12, wanted to diversify and expand its offerings in the name of sustainability and growth. With this end goal in mind, an initial team (including the COO, school head, and board members) formed to carefully and thoroughly explore countries open to “importing” a U.S. education model. Shattuck-St. Mary’s opened inside of a Chinese high school in 2013. While the partnership with the Chinese high school has since dissolved, the school is now building a new school in Forest City (Malaysia) and expects to open the campus in fall 2017.
Shattuck-St. Mary’s School (Minnesota), a coed boarding and day school serving 472 students in grades 6-12, wanted to diversify and expand its offerings in the name of sustainability and growth. With this end goal in mind, an initial team (including the COO, school head, and board members) formed to carefully and thoroughly explore countries open to “importing” a U.S. education model. Shattuck-St. Mary’s opened inside of a Chinese high school in 2013. While the partnership with the Chinese high school has since dissolved, the school is now building a new school in Forest City (Malaysia) and expects to open the campus in fall 2017.
2. Build the necessary foundation.
Old Trail School (Ohio), a PK–8 school serving 570 students, also profiled in our report, is interested in establishing a global partnership and/or a satellite campus. But the school leadership recognizes that it must take important initial steps, such as enriching its current global curriculum, developing technology infrastructure, and managing staffing and logistical issues.
Old Trail School (Ohio), a PK–8 school serving 570 students, also profiled in our report, is interested in establishing a global partnership and/or a satellite campus. But the school leadership recognizes that it must take important initial steps, such as enriching its current global curriculum, developing technology infrastructure, and managing staffing and logistical issues.
3. Maintain brand alignment.
Working within any aspect of the international student market brings complex challenges for admissions teams; they must have the backing of school leadership to manage successful expansion while maintaining the cultural and academic standards of their home campus in a new environment.
Soleiman Dias, director of admission at Chadwick International, a Korean campus of Chadwick School (California), which serves nearly 1,100 K-12 students, reminds school leaders that “fusing an American independent school with an international school is not an easy task; there is a constant quest for alignment and a need to manage multiple perspectives.”
The greatest challenge thus far, he says, has been the curriculum: the Korean government mandated that Chadwick International become an IB school, while Chadwick School has kept its current curriculum intact. Governance can also be challenging. There is only one board of trustees for both schools, and all final decisions are made by the board at its meetings in California. The Chadwick International Advisory Board (CIAB) was launched in 2014 to support Chadwick International’s programs and initiatives and to engage other perspectives concerning the school’s operation.
4. Commit budget dollars to get it right.
For American schools looking to enroll international students, travel is a significant new budget line item that must be justified to the board and leadership. “Building a robust international admission program that provides consistency in student quality requires travel,” explains Joshua D. Clark, director of admissions at Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Hawaii), a K–12 school with nearly 800 students. Schools must take the time to travel to new countries, and understand that the ROI can take time.
For American schools looking to enroll international students, travel is a significant new budget line item that must be justified to the board and leadership. “Building a robust international admission program that provides consistency in student quality requires travel,” explains Joshua D. Clark, director of admissions at Hawaii Preparatory Academy (Hawaii), a K–12 school with nearly 800 students. Schools must take the time to travel to new countries, and understand that the ROI can take time.
5. Ensure professional development for admission directors.
Evaluating international students and exploring new global markets takes knowledge and experience beyond what most admissions directors currently possess. They must be supported in their efforts to expand their knowledge, from learning more about a student’s home culture to understand the delivery expectations for elements like housing and food, to working with families to determine how long a student may attend your school, or even how to interpret ESL test scores for admission and placement purposes.
Conclusion
It is clear that whether your school currently serves international students or is just beginning to build your global schoolhouse, there is much to consider. At SSATB, we’ll continue to monitor the changing international school marketplace with the goal of equipping independent schools with information and enrollment strategies to help them succeed.
- Download SSATB’s full report.