TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As principal of Hartsfield Elementary School in the Leon County School District, John Olson is not just the lead educator, but in this era of fast-expanding school choice, also its chief salesperson.
He works to drum up enrollment by speaking to parent and church groups, offering private tours, and giving Hartsfield parents his cell phone number. He fields calls on nights, weekends, and holidays. With the building at just 61% capacity, Olson is frank about the hustle required: “Customer service is key.”
It’s no secret that many public schools are in a battle for students. As school started in Florida this August, large districts, including Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, and Orange, reported thousands fewer students, representing drops of more than 3% year over year. In Leon County, enrollment was down 8% from the end of last year…