While Putney has thrived over the past decade, the environment for boarding schools has continued to evolve and poses increasing challenges. Among the notable issues affecting Putney and other schools are the following:

• Progressive Education: When Putney was founded it was a true leader in progressive education. Since that time many of the innovations pioneered at Putney have entered the mainstream, and new approaches to teaching and learning are emerging from other schools and research programs around the world. Our program remains distinctive, particularly in the realms of opportunities for independent work, student involvement in decision-making, the land use program, and the arts. However, in other respects our program is rather traditional. We need to ensure that we remain distinctive, and that our educational approach is effective for a diverse group of students.
• Educational Needs: As the world changes, so do the needs of our students. They must be educated to live and work effectively in a more diverse world, and one that faces unprecedented global challenges, including climate change, the end of the oil economy, more diverse communities and workplaces, a global economy, and the rapid pace of change in how information is created and transmitted.
• Demographics: Boarding schools nationally are losing students as both the number of high school age children declines and as parents and families look more to day and home school. We have been fortunate to remain full, with students of very high caliber at a time when many of our peer schools are at a fraction of their capacity.
• Faculty: Our faculty members are settling in Putney for the long term. Our average faculty member now has more than 10 years of experience, and a large number own a home locally and have young children whom they would like to send to the Putney School. The advantages to a stable and experienced faculty are great, but we are also challenged to staff our dormitories and meet our salary obligations.
• Affordability: Our reliance on tuition revenue, which generates about 70% of our total revenue, makes it difficult for us to restrict tuition growth or increase financial aid significantly. Although our tuition is about average for schools in our area, and we devote 20% of gross tuition revenue to financial aid, Putney is affordable only for the wealthiest families. We anticipate that in the future this trend will only get worse.