Disenrollment occurs when a student leaves a school before completing their intended educational program—withdrawing mid-year or choosing not to return for the next academic year. For charter and private schools where enrollment is voluntary, disenrollment is the primary driver of student attrition.

Common reasons for disenrollment include families relocating to new areas (often unavoidable), dissatisfaction with academic programs or teaching quality, social concerns like bullying or lack of belonging, financial constraints making tuition unsustainable, students struggling academically and seeking different learning environments, transition to different school types (public to private, charter to district), or simply better perceived fit at competing schools.

The financial and operational impact of disenrollment is significant. Each student who leaves represents lost revenue—$10,000-$30,000 per year for private schools, $10,000-$15,000 in per-pupil funding for charters. High disenrollment disrupts classroom dynamics, destabilizes budgets, raises questions about school quality among prospective families, and forces schools into perpetual recruitment mode rather than focusing on program excellence.

Research shows that most disenrollment is preventable. Studies indicate 65% of families who leave show warning signs 3-6 months in advance: declining student engagement, attendance changes, reduced parent communication responsiveness, or expressed concerns that go unaddressed. Schools with early warning systems that identify and respond to these signals retain significantly more families than schools that only learn of departures when families announce withdrawal.