Evaluation of effective student recruitment and retention strategies

The Montclair Cooperative School (Co-Op) is a cooperative school founded in 1963. Since its founding, the Co-Op has expanded to include nursery through eighth grade and can currently accommodate just under 200 students. The Co-Op requested a Capstone team to create a marketing strategy that will increase enrollment figures by retaining those families that already exhibited some level of engagement with the school. In addition to reviewing best practices and industry research, the team interviewed key members of the Co-Op community, conducted several focus groups, developed surveys, and conducted an environmental scan and a SWOT analysis. Based on key findings from this research and analysis, the team proposed a strategy designed to improve retention along select points of the admissions pipeline. The team’s strategy included messaging and recommendations that were actionable, cost-effective, and in harmony with the Co-Op’s mission and identity.