Public schools are increasingly hiring consultants

First came declining birth rates. Then came vouchers. Now public schools are losing students—and the money that comes with them. With budgets on the line, some districts are doing what any startup would: hiring professional help to chase leads.

Enrollment as a service

Public districts are increasingly partnering with consultants who specialize in enrollment recovery, a niche that didn’t exist a decade ago.

• In cities like Memphis and Newark, consultants have been reported to “aggressively woo parents” back into the system with texts, calls, and door-to-door outreach.
• The nation’s fourth-largest school district, Houston ISD, is considering a $2.25 million outreach deal; Orange County pays up to $935 per returned student.
• These consultants don’t get paid unless enrollment happens—think: commission-based school recruiting.
• Some firms claim to bring in thousands of students per year, with returns reaching into the millions for school systems.

Why families are walking: The exodus isn’t just about politics or preference—it’s about fit, trust, and voice. Families cite safety worries, lack of individualized support, and feeling "disconnected and unheard," prompting a switch to a more attentive alternative.

Big picture: Public K-12 enrollment is expected to fall to ~46.9 million by 2031, an ~8% drop from 2019 (minus ~4 million students), according to projections from the National Center for Education Statistics.