Investing in Your Children

Investing in Your ChildrenDr. Jeffrey L MitchellHeadmasterTuscaloosa Academy1BackgroundThe Enrollment and Retention Committees role in the genesis of this presentation. Lots of very passionate discussion generated the thesis for this presentation:The money spent on investing in your childs education at TA is not only worth every cent in the presentbut also the investment pays dividends long into the future.Context for the Business ModelWhat if someone made the following business proposalIm selling a product that costs about $10,000 annuallywhen the vast majority of the competition sells (seemingly) the same product for free3Lets say we try anywaythen we should start with clarity of purposeThe mission of Tuscaloosa Academy is to provide a college-preparatory education in a supportive environment of intellectual freedom, to cultivate a love of learning, and to maximize each student's potential for academic achievement, character development and readiness for life in a global environment.4We should have at least a couple of untouchable ideasIndependenceCollege preparatory5Actionable offshoots of college preparatoryAcademic ExcellenceIndividual AttentionOpportunities

6Broken down even furtherwhat would Academic Excellence look like?Outstanding educatorsCapable and motivated studentsBest practice curriculum content & ideas

7What would Individual Attention look like?very small classes, especially very small advanced classes, where individual attention is provided and prized not as an exception but as the rule.every student is known

8What would Opportunities look like?participate in sports and other extra curricular activities, not generally as available in larger school environments, and in the process develop life-long skills.If they so choose, they can participate

9Nowwe need a catchy and memorable way to summarize the aforementionedIndividualAttention.Maximum Opportunity.

10Discerning business minds would want more specifics (differentiators)AP OptionsResource TeacherTeaching Assistants (Grades 1-4)Every child, PS-12, receives formal instruction to learn a second languageEvery child, K-12, can receive formal instruction in PE &/or athleticsEvery child, PS-12, receives formal instruction in music and artINCLUDING A STRINGS PROGRAM IN 3RD, 4TH & 5th GRADES. Every child, PS-12, has the opportunity to be a part of innovative and unique TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVESsuch as the extensive use of SmartBoard technology across all divisions and our grades7-12 laptop program technological literacyQIT.

11Quality Instructional Time (QIT): What Research ShowsDue to smaller class sizes, consistently laudable instructors, excellent resources, and motivated and capable students, college preparatory independent schools are much more instructionally efficient.Twice as much time per day in high quality instruction. Researchers have dubbed this Quality Instructional Time (QIT). QIT is time that students are constructively engaged in learningwere fortunate in independent schools to be much less encumbered by distractions and transitions that carve into QIT. The research shows that a typical QIT difference is about 120 minutes per dayThats 18000 minutes, or 300 hours, or 50 days per year. Moreover, during the span of a grade 1-12 education thats about 600 days, or the equivalent of 3.33 extra school years! Dont tell your children this but do spread the word to all the parents you know. This alone might be worth the investmentbut theres much more. Even more direct returnsResearch confirms that the graduation rate (near 100% nationally) in college prep independent schools is much higher than what is typical in public schools (near 70% nationally) and other types of independent schools (near 90% nationally). Nationally, and at TA, the SAT and ACT scores of college prep independent school students are, on average, 25% higher than public schools.

More Examplesgiven students of equal inherent ability, those students who attend a college prep independent school, like TA, will be significantly more likely toAttend the college of their choiceGet more scholarship money to attend that collegeAnd earn more money when they graduate from that college. The studies on this topic conclude that the average dollar return on investment far outstrips the original tuition paid, even after adjusting for inflation.

One Intangible Return on Investment: SafetyHow much would you pay to ensure your children are emotionally and physically safe?whatever it takes/whatever we can Via the admissions standards and the honor code, independent schools have the freedom and good fortune to better guarantee that all children are safe to learn to their potential. priceless.

SummaryIf you are looking for an investment thatensures your child is emotionally and physically safeMaximizes quality instructional timeprovides your child with the individual attention they need to thrive in school provides your child with guaranteed opportunities to participate in the extracurricular life of the schoolmaximizes your childs college opportunities and earning potential later in lifethen invest in your childs future with a TA education.

Discussion/Questions

17