Parents today have a lot of choices when it comes to their children’s education. They can send them to public schools, private schools, or even homeschool them.
Each option has its own unique set of benefits and drawbacks. So, what type of parents are a target market for private schools? And what are the factors based on which they select one private school over another?
In this article, we will analyze the target market for private schools by studying parents’ motivations, emotions, and decision-making processes while selecting a private school for their children.
The Target Market for Private Schools: Who are these parents?
One of the best ways to understand the target market for private schools is to analyze the reasons and motivations that parents (or caregivers) have to send their children to private schools.
This gives us the following segments of the target market for private schools:
- Parents who are dissatisfied with public schools
- Parents who have tried homeschooling (and failed)
- Parents who want their children to learn in a certain language
- Parents who want their children more exposed to a certain religion
- Parents who want their children to receive a higher quality of education
- Parents who want their children to be in a safe environment
- Parents with children with learning difficulties
Each of these market segments has unique needs and requirements when selecting a private school for their children. Let’s look in detail at each of them.
1. Parents who are dissatisfied with public schools
This segment of parents is usually unhappy with the quality of education their children are receiving at public schools. They may feel that the curriculum is not rigorous enough, or that the teachers are not adequately qualified.
In some cases, they may also be concerned about safety issues at public schools. These parents are looking for a private school that can offer their children a better education and a healthier environment in which to learn and grow.
Also, some public schools may not offer after-school activities, or they may not have the same level of extracurriculars as private schools. This can be a deciding factor for many parents who want their children to be involved in sports or activities other than just classroom learning.
2. Parents who have tried homeschooling (and failed)
Homeschooling is not for everyone. Some parents bravely make the attempt, but quickly realize that it’s not the right fit for their family. These parents are usually looking for a private school option that can provide a more structured and traditional learning environment for their children.
When looking for a private school, they look to derive the benefits of homeschooling but without the challenges that come with it. These parents often want their children to be in smaller class sizes so they can get more individual attention, and they expect teachers to be highly qualified.
3. Parents who want their children to learn in a certain language
Some parents want their children to be bilingual or even trilingual. They usually want them exposed to other languages from an early age so that they can become fluent in them.
The idea is to give them a competitive advantage in the job market when they’re older.
To find a private school that can offer this type of language instruction, these parents usually look for schools that have a dual-language program.
Parents like to make sure that the school has highly qualified teachers who are native speakers of the target language and have been trained to teach in that language.
4. Parents who want their children more exposed to a certain religion
For parents who want their children to be raised in a particular religion, private schools can offer an environment that is more conducive to this than public schools.
These parents usually look for private schools that align with their religious beliefs and that offer religious instruction as part of the curriculum. They are also looking for an environment where their children will be around other children who share their same beliefs.
5. Parents who want their children to receive a higher quality of education
This segment of parents believes that private schools offer a better quality of education than public schools. They are looking for a school that has high standards and can offer their children a challenging curriculum.
They also want their children to be in a learning environment with other children who are academically inclined. These parents often have high expectations for their children’s academic achievement and want them to be prepared for college and beyond.
These parents are usually willing to pay more for tuition because they believe it will be worth it in the long run. Such parents are one of the main sources of income for private schools.
6. Parents who want their children to be in a safe environment
Some parents feel that private schools offer a more secure and safe environment for their children. They may be concerned about violence or drugs in the public school system.
They will look for private schools that have strong security measures in place, such as metal detectors, security cameras and guards.
These parents are looking for a private school that can give them peace of mind when it comes to their child’s safety.
7. Parents with children with learning difficulties
Finally, there are parents whose children have learning difficulties or special needs. They may feel that their child will not be able to receive the help they need in a public school setting.
They usually want smaller class sizes and more individualized attention for their child. These parents often look for private schools that specialize in helping children with learning difficulties or that have programs in place to support these children.
They may also want a school that has experienced and qualified teachers who are trained to deal with children with special needs. These parents will spend a lot of time researching, to find the right private school for their child.
Summary
The target market for private schools essentially includes parents who are looking for alternatives to the public school system or to homeschooling. They may be dissatisfied with public schools or found them insufficiently challenging for their child’s needs or found them unsafe.
Some parents like their children to learn multiple languages and so find a multi-lingual private school. Other parents are interested in having their children exposed to a certain religion and so will look for a private school that offers religious studies on top of the normal curriculum.
Some other parents are simply looking for a higher quality of education that they feel their children can only get from private schools. These parents usually have high expectations from their children and want to put them in an environment where they will be adequately challenged.
And finally, parents of children with learning difficulties turn to private schools that can cater to their child’s needs and that have teachers with the expertise and experience in teaching children with learning difficulties.
