This article has been updated to reflect 2026 data and recent developments
2020 was a most unusual year. The coronavirus pandemic turned everything upside down and inside out. Nothing was normal. All of this impacted boarding schools in ways they never expected. While most private school boards of trustees were smart enough to have resumption-of-business plans in place and adequate insurance coverage for the school plant and the usual liability issues, very few school trustees ever expected to be dealing with so many challenges converging simultaneously.
By 2026, the immediate COVID-19 crisis has passed, but many of the leadership questions it exposed remain highly relevant. Independent schools are now managing enrollment uncertainty, affordability pressures, workforce shortages, technological change, and international enrollment challenges. The National Association of Independent Schools identified those issues among the complexities facing independent school leaders in its 2026 strategic planning work.
Against that backdrop, I thought it would be helpful to revisit this fictional interview with a head of school. After all, her concerns are probably yours as well.
What challenges at school keep you awake at night?
Rob: What challenges at school in the next academic year keep you awake at night?
Head of school: Oh, Rob! Where do I begin? There are so many things demanding my attention. My workday starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m. if I'm lucky. And I work every day to keep my head above water.
Rob: What, then, is your most pressing concern?
Head of school: My number one concern is the financial condition of my school. In 2020, the board and I had not budgeted for dozens of COVID-19-related expenses. Tasks such as wiping down all the frequently touched surfaces, like door handles, light switches, stair rails, and so much more, were essential while the pandemic was all around us. We had to hire a deep-cleaning service to sanitize our common areas every evening. We had not planned to purchase plexiglass shields for classrooms and offices. Testing was expensive and also required additional staff to manage our testing program. We provided face shields and high-quality masks to our staff and teachers. We purchased hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, and hand soap in much larger quantities than we ever had before.
In 2026, those particular expenses have largely receded, but financial planning has not become easier. The latest NAIS research examines admissions, enrollment, tuition, financial aid, advancement, and financial operations across the independent school sector. Boarding school families are confronting these pressures directly as well, particularly as they evaluate the real cost of boarding school in 2026.
What about enrollment?
Rob: What about enrollment? Has that been an issue?
Head of school: Enrollment has been less of an issue than I had imagined. That's because we have very creative admissions and marketing teams. They are very hands-on. Their follow-through is excellent. During the pandemic, they did countless virtual tours of the school for parents and others who expressed an interest in our school.
Our web team refocused our website so that it addressed parents' concerns and questions upfront. I have a loyal staff who are doing a phenomenal job of getting the word out about our school.
In 2026, the methods have evolved, but the underlying challenge remains the same. Families expect detailed websites, video, responsive admissions teams, virtual access when necessary, and clear information before they visit campus. Schools must also understand what prospective families are seeking. Boarding School Review's overview of what schools want from applicants illustrates how admissions continues to depend on much more than a single measure of a student.
Enrollment conditions are also uneven. Earlier NAIS research found that median enrollment at boarding schools where at least 95% of students board declined 17% between 2018-19 and 2022-23, even as other independent school categories experienced different patterns. This helps explain why enrollment management remains a strategic priority rather than simply an admissions-office concern.
What about international students?
Rob: What about international students? Has there been a drop-off in enrollment from international students?
Head of school: That's an area of genuine concern. In 2020, it wasn't as if our families outside the United States didn't want to send their children to us. It was merely that travel restrictions were so stringent and uncertain that parents couldn't manage the logistics easily. Add to that that our consulates were closed or operating on limited hours, making the student visa interview process hard to schedule far enough in advance.
In 2026, the pandemic-era quarantine problem is gone, but international enrollment and visa uncertainty remain significant concerns for boarding schools. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, there were 54,356 foreign-student SEVIS records in K-12 education in calendar year 2024, a slight decline from 54,558 in 2023. China remained the largest source, accounting for 26.7% of foreign K-12 students.
For families, visa policies are no longer merely a background administrative matter. Boarding School Review's guide to international student visa trends and boarding schools explains how visa requirements and processing conditions can affect application timing and enrollment planning in 2026.
Our bottom line's impact can still be substantial because international students are an important part of the enrollment mix at many boarding schools. International enrollment also contributes to the geographic and cultural diversity that is central to many residential school communities.
How have schools fared since the pandemic?
Rob: How have you fared managing the aftermath of the pandemic?
Head of school: Well, as I mentioned before, in 2020 we had dozens of expenses for which we had not budgeted. Planning for school reopening took place over the summer. That process was stressful because federal, state, and local protocols changed. The experts kept discovering more about the coronavirus, its transmission, and which protective measures were effective. We went through several alert stages throughout the spring and summer, making reopening with in-person instruction uncertain.
Fortunately, the pandemic eventually subsided enough for schools to return to normal operations. What the future holds is another matter of great concern to me, my staff, and our board of trustees.
The lesson from that experience is still relevant in 2026. Schools need the financial capacity, leadership structure, and strategic planning necessary to respond to events they cannot predict. Families can learn a great deal about those priorities by understanding how to read a school's strategic plan before applying.
How are teachers and staff managing?
Rob: How are your teachers and other program staff managing?
Head of school: In 2020, the classic image of a teacher looking over her student's shoulder as she worked a math problem temporarily became a thing of the past. Masks, social distancing, and frequent handwashing became as much a part of every teacher's classroom routine as taking attendance used to be. I was apprehensive that our teachers were on the front lines in our battle with the coronavirus.
The other aspect of their teaching that changed was that they had to become adept at virtual instruction. We had to be able to switch over to online instruction on short notice.
Furthermore, our online instruction had to meet the same high bar that our in-person classroom instruction attained. That's what our families expected. That's what we had to deliver consistently throughout the academic year.
By 2026, emergency remote instruction is no longer the defining challenge. Technology, including artificial intelligence, has instead become part of a larger conversation about curriculum, assessment, teacher workload, and the purpose of in-person education. NAIS now explicitly includes AI, virtual reality, robotics, blended learning, and other forms of technology integration among the innovations being examined across independent and international schools.
Were the changes brought about by the pandemic permanent?
Rob: Do you think the changes brought about by the pandemic are permanent?
Head of school: Some days, I have difficulty seeing further ahead than tomorrow. In my quiet times, when I have time to think, I am convinced that our product has had to be re-imagined. We offer a complete education to our students: academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities.
Our delivery of this product was the same for decades. We tweaked it here and there and added and subtracted various features according to the necessities of the times. In 2020, we had to make significant changes in how we related to every school community member. We had to rethink the way we taught our curriculum. We mounted a greatly modified athletic program emphasizing maximum athlete protection. We eliminated some of our traditional extracurricular activities. Our activities directors created some exciting new virtual activities.
Six years later, many of the emergency measures are gone, but the larger lesson remains. Schools must be able to adapt without losing sight of their identity.
In 2026, that means planning for financial sustainability, enrollment, affordability, workforce pressures, technology, international recruitment, and changing family expectations. NAIS has described these developments as interconnected shifts rather than isolated events, with financial and workforce pressures, international enrollment volatility, and AI all affecting the education sector.
For parents evaluating schools, enrollment numbers alone do not tell the entire story. Boarding School Review's examination of student retention rates offers another way to assess whether students remain supported and successful after they arrive on campus.
The bottom line is that our mission remains unchanged. How we carry out that mission has changed.
