The question I see for 2026 is, how do we adapt our methodologies for forecasting enrollment? How do we help school districts plan when the choices have expanded so much?
We’re in the middle of a Great Resettling. The expansion of flexibility in work that began with the pandemic is now happening in education. Families want options that fit their lifestyles. It is no longer just public, private, or charter schools. We’re seeing micro schools in former retail spaces, two-hour programs in converted medical offices, and educators creating entirely new approaches.
It’s not that families are angry or disappointed with public education. They’re saying, ‘We want options that fit how we live and work today.’ They want flexibility, just like they now have in their jobs, in where they live, and in how they manage their lives.
Parents today can travel, work remotely, or work gig jobs. They want education that fits with that mobility and allows their kids to pursue passions earlier. If your child loves robotics or environmental science, you don’t have to wait until high school. You can find programs that start at the earliest grade levels. It’s a different world in terms of how we make decisions and execute those choices.
