2026 Small Schools Summit

Setting tuition each year is one of the most consequential decisions independent school leaders and boards make. It sits at the intersection of mission and market, requiring schools to balance affordability, accessibility, competitiveness, and long-term financial sustainability. And the stakes are high: for most independent schools, tuition is the single largest driver of financial health.

In every school’s financial model there are small levers and big levers. Leaders spend enormous energy adjusting the small ones – managing expenses, refining staffing allocations, trimming program costs. Those matter, but tuition strategy is one of the biggest levers a school has. Getting it right, now and over time, has an outsized impact on sustainability.

In this practical breakout session, Sadie Albertyn of Mission & Data explores how schools can think more strategically about tuition pricing and financial aid in order to strengthen Net Tuition Revenue, the financial engine that powers most independent schools. We’ll examine how pricing decisions, discounting strategies, enrollment demand, and financial aid policies interact to shape overall financial and organizational sustainability.

Mission & Data has worked with more than 225 independent schools across the United States and internationally, as well as with 25+ state, regional, national, and international school associations. This work provides a broad perspective on the challenges schools face today and creates opportunities to cross-pollinate effective practices from across the sector. In this session, participants will hear what is working – and what isn’t – at schools around the country, while gaining clear frameworks, key metrics, and a shared language to help leaders and trustees approach tuition and financial aid strategy with greater clarity, confidence, and discipline.

When enrollment dips or budgets tighten small school leaders quickly turn to development as a solution. But development is not a rescue plan, it’s a long-term revenue strategy.

In this session, Jill Goodman, founder of Jill Goodman Consulting, will reframe development as a core component of financial sustainability rather than a hopeful fix for budget shortfalls. Jill will bust the myths that undermine development efforts, including overreliance on events, unrealistic goal setting, and the search for the one big donor who will solve all problems. She will also share development truths through practical examples and real-world case studies. Participants will learn how to reframe their thinking about development by

1. Diversifying revenue streams beyond tuition dependence.
2. Building leadership giving relationship pipelines.
3. Aligning finance and development around shared strategy.
4. Eliminating activities that cannibalize time and revenue capacity.
5. Investing wisely in development to cultivate long-term partnerships.

School leaders will leave with a clearer understanding of how to move from reactive fundraising to a disciplined, multi-year financial strategy that positions their school for sustainable growth.