Public and Private School Marketing Initiatives in Central Indiana: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

With the largest and fastest growing voucher program in the United States, Indiana schools are now faced with more competition than ever. The argument of this study is that with increased access to choice in educational programming, comes an increased need for school marketing. Examined, were the marketing practices of public and private schools in central Indiana. Also explored were the extent to which school choice initiatives in the state have impacted school and district marketing decisions. The social research questions posed were explored through a mixed methods study, attempting to understand Indiana public and private school marketing practices from the perspective of private and public school marketing professionals. Methods of data collection included electronic survey, semi-structured interview, and document collection. Results yielded evidence of an open playing field in the realm of educational marketing, with approaches varying in both funding and in practice across educational institutions, traditional public, public charter, and private. Professionals have the opportunity to learn from one another and to collaborate, supporting more efficient marketing of the organization and what they have to offer both students and families.