New National Survey Findings on Prospective K-12 Parent Preferences and School Choice Released by Hanover Research

Thirty-four percent of parents with currently enrolled K-12 students say their child has already attended more than one type of school, while another 28% are considering a change, according to new national research from Hanover Research (Hanover), a leading provider of K-12 education data and insights. 

To help K-12 leaders better understand what’s driving school choice decisions, Hanover has released its member report, the 2026 National Prospective K-12 Parent Survey. Drawing on responses from a survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. parents, the report provides insight into parent decision-making processes, their priorities, and perceived barriers in selecting a school type or model. The findings help leaders better understand families’ enrollment decisions and identify opportunities to align strategies with the expectations, needs, and perceptions of prospective K-12 parents. 

"As enrollment patterns and parent expectations shift, K-12 leaders need a clear understanding of how families weigh their options to keep recruitment strategies and communications relevant," says Marriam Ewaida, senior managing director of K-12 research at Hanover. "By releasing these findings, we’re bringing greater visibility to the factors shaping school choice decisions when it matters most." 

Key findings from the survey include: 

• 45% of parents prefer traditional public schools over other school types. 
• 75% of parents want more detailed information from schools to inform their choices. 
• 39% of parents whose children have switched or may switch school types cite better meeting their child’s learning or support needs as a reason. 
• 71% of parents prefer fully in-person instruction over hybrid or virtual formats. 
• 67% of parents prefer to receive school communications via email. 

“To sustain or grow enrollment, schools and districts need to understand not only what draws families to a school, but also what encourages them to stay and what might lead them to consider other options," says Sid Phillips, chief growth officer at Hanover. "This research helps leaders see those decisions from families’ perspectives and use that understanding to inform enrollment strategies, communication priorities and channels, and the strengths they should emphasize to prospective families.” 

The full 2026 National Prospective K-12 Parent Survey is available only to Hanover members. K-12 leaders interested in exploring more research from Hanover can explore Hanover's complementary resources here.