MACON, Ga. — Like many parents, Aimee Lashley put a lot of thought into where she sent her boys to school.
"We wanted our children to be in a school environment where our faith was supported through the things that they were taught at school, not contradicted," she said.
For that reason, the Lashleys chose First Presbyterian Day School in Macon.
Enrollment Director Beth Burnsed says faith-based education is what attracts a lot of families.
"At FPD, we are a college-preparatory, Christ-centered school," Burnsed said.
For Brentwood School in Sandersville, Assistant Head of School Danny Howell calls smaller classes a selling point.
"They're not in a class of 30-35 kids, they're in smaller groups, and you can give more individual attention," Howell said.
While those factors do continue to attract students, the number of new students enrolling isn't adding up to growth. The numbers are falling off.
The latest data from the U.S. Department of Education is from the 2015-2016 school year.
Out of 37 Central Georgia private schools registered with more than 100 students, 12 saw declining enrollment. FPD and Brentwood were two of them.
FPD's Associate Headmaster Barry Shealy says it comes down to competition.
"Whether it's additional schools, homeschooling online school programs, additional competition would have the biggest impact on new students coming into the school," he said.
Virginia Wilcox is an associate professor of education at Wesleyan College and an FPD alumna.
She says there are common factors that drive parents' decisions in favor of private schools.
"More academic rigor, higher academic performances, better chances for future college, potential in scholarships," she said.
Wilcox couldn't speak on enrollment declines across Central Georgia, but said in Bibb County there are a few driving forces.
Two of those being the opening of the Academy for Classical Education, a charter school, in 2015 and the leadership of Bibb County's Superintendent Curtis Jones.
"I think people are beginning to trust those Bibb County schools now that we have somebody that's taking charge," she said.
No matter the reasons, Shealy says FPD is adjusting to the changing landscape, particularly with tuition plans.
"It's been very important over the last few years to develop tuition assistance programs so that the cost of education doesn't become such a burden," Shealy said.
Howell says they're taking a similar approach at Brentwood.
"We have lowered our tuition this year. We are really excited about being able to do that so that we can include more families in this Washington County area," he said.
Lashley calls the price of admission worth every penny.
"I think some people tend to look at private schools as, 'oh that's a sacrifice' or 'that's money out of our budget,' but we look at it as an opportunity and a blessing," she said.
Burnsed said FPD's enrollment averages more than 800 per year, and they're expected to hit that mark next school year.