As a Market Leader, Sylvan Is Primed To Take Advantage of Upcoming Industry Growth

Sylvan Learning, a leading provider of supplemental and enrichment education for students in grades K–12 with more than 710 points of presence worldwide, has long been a leader in the education industry thanks to its 43 years of proven results. Now, as the in-person learning market is projected to exceed $74.1 billion by 2030, development efforts are taking center stage.

“This new data doesn’t change what we’re doing or why we’re doing it,” said Jeff Stephenson, VP of Franchise Development. “It does show that our projections are coming full circle. COVID made a major impact on the learning lives of our children, and many of our students are really suffering. Something needs to be done.”

In November, a new batch of national scores was published, illustrating the dire need that exists for students everywhere. At the time of this report, 25% of fourth graders and 38% of eighth graders scored below standard in math, representing the lowest scores since 2005 and 2003, respectively.

With this, Sylvan continued to push forward, announcing that it would work to add approximately 50 additional units by the end of 2024, focusing specifically on territories in California, New York, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

In 2020, the in-person learning market was valued at $17.9 billion, meaning that its climb to 2030 reflects a projected compound annual growth rate of 10% from 2021 to 2030.

Alumni support

As an Industry Leader, Sylvan’s Processes Draw Alumni Back

“We are seeing even more requests from people looking to join the Sylvan system. Forty percent of these inquiries are from what we call Sylvan alumni — they may be the parent of a current or former Sylvan student, they’ve worked at a Sylvan center or they’re a Sylvan kid,” Stephenson said. “They know what we do, they’ve experienced the change we can make and they want to do the same.”

Sylvan alumni turned franchisees have experienced the efficacy of the system and subsequently single it out as the answer they want to bring to their community. This is because Sylvan does things differently.

Education methods

Efforts to recover from pandemic-related learning loss are not always specialized or carefully developed and, as such, do not always deliver the best results. Sylvan evaluates students’ abilities in a range of areas to ensure any deficits are adequately addressed. Having experienced this process firsthand, alumni are confident in the model’s capabilities, which serves as a strong testament for any and all prospective franchisees.

Over the past few years, the need for educational support has only increased. While the market is undoubtedly strong, Stephenson says the concept is most excited to work with franchisees who are genuinely excited about the opportunity.

“If you’re not passionate about the business, you’re less likely to succeed,” he said. “We want to welcome prospects that are already in an entrepreneurial headspace but maintain a love for education. Once you’re a teacher, you’re always a teacher. We want those passionate professionals to come work with us and learn how to run a franchise. Don’t be afraid to take the next step!”

With more than 40 years of experience and more than 710 points of presence, Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of personal learning for students in grades K–12. Sylvan is transforming how students learn, inspiring them to succeed in school and in life. Sylvan’s proven tutoring approach blends amazing teachers with SylvanSync™ technology on the iPad® for an engaging learning experience.

Sylvan also leads the way with Sylvan EDGE — STEM and accelerated courses and Sylvan Prep — college and test prep courses. Sylvan supports families through every stage of the academic journey. Sylvan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc.