2024-25 Galapagos Annual K-12 Parent Survey
What Today’s Parents Are Telling Schools and
Why It Matters More Than Ever
In January, we wrapped our annual Galapagos K-12 Parent Survey, an initiative that now spans 74 Michigan counties and gives voice to the people school districts need most: parents. Their experiences, concerns, and priorities don’t just shape perceptions, they shape enrollment. And in today’s competitive educational environment, perception and enrollment are inseparable.
Public schools remain the dominant choice, but they’re not the default.
This year, 82.4% of students were enrolled in public schools, up slightly from last year’s 76.7%. But beneath that surface is movement. One in four families has switched schools within the past two years, and public school families are twice as likely to make a change.
In a competitive market, that’s not just a trend. It’s a warning.
What Drives Parents to Leave?
When we asked why families switched schools, one word stood out: bullying. It’s the #1 reason for leaving, outpacing academics, transportation, and even safety concerns. In fact, bullying also emerged as the top overall concern among all parents this year, followed closely by safety/security and teacher quality. For the first time, peer relationships and friendships broke into the top five as a parent concern.
These are not administrative concerns. These are experience concerns. And they require a response that goes beyond policy because experience is what builds (or breaks) trust.
Satisfaction Is Stable, But Trust Has Gaps
Overall satisfaction remains high:
90% of parents say they are satisfied with their child’s school
88% are satisfied with school reputation
84% are satisfied with school communication
But satisfaction and loyalty aren’t the same thing. Our Net Promoter Score (NPS), a leading indicator of advocacy and future enrollment, tells a more nuanced story:
Overall NPS is 18 (up 11 points from last year)
Public school families have an NPS of just 13
Non-public families? A much stronger 31
That gap is telling. Parents may appreciate the day-to-day. But are they enthusiastic enough to recommend their school? To enroll their next child? To speak positively in the community? For public schools especially, the answer isn’t always yes.
The Parent-School Relationship Is Changing
Another shift? The rise of parent-teacher communication as a top value. For the first time ever, it ranked among the top four things parents say they value most about their child’s school. In fact, it even cracked the top two when asked to select their single highest priority.
We see this as an encouraging sign as parents aren’t just judging; they’re engaging. But it also raises the bar. Schools must elevate the quality, clarity, and consistency of their communications to build the kind of trust that fuels loyalty.
And don’t forget the influence of students themselves. This year, 57% of higher-income families, and 37% of lower-income families, said it’s the student who decides where they attend school. That’s not just a change in who shops; it’s a change in how schools are marketed.
Inequity in Experience
One of the most critical findings this year was the widening gap between higher- and lower-income families in experience and satisfaction.
Families earning $150K+ reported an NPS of 43
Families under $50K reported an NPS of 4
This inequity extends across measures: trust, satisfaction, values, and even who makes school decisions. Public schools, many of which serve the highest number of lower-income families, must confront this gap head-on. It's not just about improving programs, it's about improving perception, relationships, and relevance to all families.
What This Means for Districts
We say it every year, and it’s truer than ever: K-12 education is no longer protected from competition. Families have more choices, more information, and more influence in their community networks. That makes strategic communications and growth strategy essential, not extra.
To earn trust and drive enrollment, districts must:
Build communications that reflect today’s priorities: safety, trust, and transparency.
Invest in experience: parent-teacher relationships, culture, and school climate.
Understand their audiences: who’s enrolling, who’s leaving, and why.
Treat loyalty as a metric, not just satisfaction.
At Galapagos, we help districts rise to that challenge. With every survey, we gain deeper insight into what matters to families and how schools can adapt, evolve, and thrive.
Click here to get access to the full 2024-25 Galapagos Parent Survey Report