More Than a Number: Why NPS® Alone Can’t Tell the Whole Story

It’s a simple question with a powerful pull: “How likely are you to recommend our school to a friend or colleague?”

When the score that follows is high, it’s tempting to celebrate:

"We’re among the best in our field. We’re considered world-class!"

Yikes! Those are pretty big claims made from one score to one question!

Can one question really tell that whole story? Even a great score, taken alone, was never meant to stand as the final word on culture or performance.

That’s why it’s worth slowing down—not to dismiss the value of NPS®, but to use it wisely. Let’s talk through how this tool can serve your school best.

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A Quick Primer on NPS® (and eNPS®)

Fred Reichheld introduced the Net Promoter Score (NPS®) in 2003, first outlining it in his Harvard Business Review article, The One Number You Need to Grow. He later expanded the concept in his 2006 book, The Ultimate Question.

The approach is built around a single question: “How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?” Respondents score from 0 to 10, and their responses are converted into a final number ranging from -100 to +100.

eNPS® applies the same question to employees, measuring how likely they are to recommend the school as a workplace. It’s efficient. It’s familiar. And it can be useful.

But, even Reichheld has cautioned against treating NPS® like a performance trophy. It was never meant to be the final word—only a signal. Something to explore, not idolize.

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What Does “Best in Class” Really Mean?

You may hear that a 70+ NPS® is “world-class” or “best in industry.” But those benchmarks mostly come from business-to-consumer sectors like retail, hospitality, or tech—where loyalty is transactional, and customer bases are massive.

In schools, especially faith-based and private ones, relationships are deeper, contexts are more nuanced, and sample sizes vary greatly. A smaller school with a tight-knit team may report a much higher NPS® than a larger school—not necessarily because they’re doing better, but because their environment is smaller, more relational, and less complex to manage. That doesn’t diminish the score, but it does mean NPS® shouldn’t be used to compare your school to another.

Instead, NPS® is most valuable when viewed in context:

• Compared against your school’s own results over time.

• Evaluated alongside other internal indicators.

• Supported (or challenged) by deeper data from a full survey.

In some cases, a high NPS® might reflect genuine alignment and enthusiasm. In others, it could be skewed by groupthink or overly loyal silence.

(Groupthink occurs when individuals in a group prioritize agreement or harmony over honest evaluation or diverse perspectives. Rather than voicing concerns or offering dissenting views, people go along with the majority to avoid conflict or disruption. In a school context, this can lead to feedback that appears overwhelmingly positive—not because everything is genuinely healthy, but because no one feels comfortable challenging the prevailing narrative.)

The NPS®, by itself, can never offer a full reading of your school culture. It tells you what people say they might do—not what they’ve done or why they feel that way.

So instead of chasing “best in class” titles, it’s far wiser to ask:

• What’s driving this score?

• Is it consistent with other indicators?

• Is it improving over time?

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When NPS® Is Helpful—and When It Isn’t

At SchoolRIGHT, we include NPS® in our Standard & Deluxe normed Parent & Employee Survey (PES). When used wisely, it sparks reflection and highlights opportunities. In fact, we’ve seen many schools use an average NPS® as a starting point, identify areas for growth from their overall survey results, take focused action—and see both satisfaction and NPS® improve the following year.

NPS® is best used this way—not as a trophy to hold up, but as a thermometer to know where to lean in.

If you’re using NPS®, keep using it—but let it be the doorway, not the destination. 

The risk comes when it’s used in isolation. Because it’s a one-question snapshot, NPS® can’t explain what’s behind the score, whether it reflects recent change or long-standing reality, or if people’s behavior aligns with their answer.

That’s why it’s essential to go further.

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The Value of Connecting the Dots

We never interpret NPS® on its own. We encourage schools to view their NPS® results in the context of the broader survey—considering whether the sentiment aligns with other important areas, such as academic quality, family partnership, spiritual or values-based focus, leadership trust, clarity of expectations, culture of support, and mission alignment.

At times, the NPS® may be high—but the underlying scores tell a different story. That doesn’t mean people are being dishonest. It simply means that NPS®, on its own, can mask critical realities.

For example, employees might still recommend your school to a friend because they believe in the mission—but that doesn’t mean they feel supported in their workload or trust leadership communication. Parents might give you a 9 or 10 because they love their child’s teacher—but still have concerns about academic rigor or responsiveness from the front office.

In those cases, a high NPS® can create a false sense of security if it’s not viewed alongside other data.

Recognizing that gap isn’t failure—it’s an opportunity for insight.

It’s your opportunity to ask why the NPS® score is what it is, and where the experience still needs attention.

Taken in context, your NPS® and the broader survey results provide a map of where you’re strong and where you need to grow.

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Enter EAR: What People Actually Do Matters More

To dive a little deeper, we developed the Earned Advocacy Rating (EAR)—a follow-up question that adds context to the NPS® score.

Rather than asking what someone might do, EAR asks, “Have you actually recommended the school to someone?” And, “Have you discouraged someone from enrolling or applying?”

This distinction matters.

NPS® measures intent.

EAR measures action.

Together, NPS® and EAR give schools a clearer understanding of how people are experiencing your culture—because real advocacy can’t be measured by intention alone.

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Final Thought

Fred Reichheld never imagined NPS® would become the sole measure of an organization’s health. He intended it to be one signal—useful only when paired with real follow-up.

And we believe the same is true for schools.

If you’re using NPS®, keep using it—but let it be the doorway, not the destination. Look for patterns, confirm them with supporting data, and ask more questions, because the best cultures aren’t built on one score; They’re built on insight, intention, and a willingness to listen deeply.

So, ask if people would recommend you.

Then ask if they have.

Then ask why.

And then... keep asking—because that’s how growth happens.

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 ​Authored by Clint Holden 

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