A highly regarded graduate school of education had started offering a multi-course online certificate program for PreK-12 school leaders, with a focus on providing the necessary leadership skills for driving change in their own schools. Four years after having launched the program, the school was interested in gauging satisfaction among past participants, measuring the extent to which it had impacted the ability of participants to lead effectively, and understanding the factors that tend to drive—or hinder—interest and enrollment in the program.

City Square Associates proposed research that incorporated both quantitative and qualitative research modalities. The first phase involved an online survey with past participants and non-enrolled applicants to the program, with questions tailored to each individual’s experience with the program and corresponding outcomes. The second phase of work involved in-depth interviews with district and school leaders that complemented the survey data with feedback from education leaders who utilized the group enrollment option of the program.

The findings painted a clear picture of high satisfaction and positive outcomes among participants. But the research also illuminated the extent to which pricing—the perception of high price, along with complications with funding their continuing education—represented the single biggest barrier to enrollment. The graduate program has been able to use these learnings as a foundation for refining their marketing efforts, and communicating the ways in which K-12 leaders have been able to see a real return on investment from their participation in the program.