An Integrated Approach to Tuition Refund Protection for Private K–12 Schools
Blackbaud is continuing to evolve how private K–12 school customers can offer tuition refund protection through an expanded integration with Vertical Insure
Building on the previously announced partnership, Blackbaud today announced that its integration with Vertical Insure is now live in the Blackbaud Marketplace. Schools can go into the Blackbaud Marketplace and can get started today to enable it for the upcoming 27-28 enrollment year. As the offering evolves, it will be embedded directly into contracts within Blackbaud Enrollment Management, making it even easier for schools to adopt without added complexity.
The Vertical Insure integration is built into Blackbaud’s K–12 Enrollment Management System through its integrated contracts with both Tuition Management and Billing Management, shifting tuition protection from a standalone insurance process to a platform-native part of how tuition is structured and managed. The result is a simpler experience for schools and families, without the administrative burden that has traditionally made tuition protection difficult to offer.
“Schools shouldn’t have to manage complex insurance processes alongside everything else they do,” said Mark Davis, vice president and head of education products, Blackbaud. “By embedding tuition refund protection directly into our Tuition Management, Billing Management, and Enrollment Management solutions, and expanding access through the Blackbaud Marketplace, we’re removing that burden and making it easier for schools to offer valuable protection as a seamless part of the experience.”
Built Into the Way Schools Already Operate
For many schools, tuition refund protection has historically required a separate enrollment process, manual tracking, and ongoing coordination with insurance providers. These legacy approaches often divert staff time and introduce added complexity, especially for schools managing tuition through payment plans.
By embedding tuition refund protection directly into Blackbaud’s platform, those barriers are removed. Schools can now offer—or require—coverage as part of existing tuition payment plans, with protection presented at the moment families commit to tuition. Families do not have to leave the platform or complete additional steps, creating a more seamless and transparent experience.
No Added Administrative Work
Because the solution is fully integrated, schools are no longer responsible for managing insurance administration.
There is no separate enrollment or contract management, no manual policy tracking, and no reconciliation required. Insurance operations are handled behind the scenes, allowing schools to offer tuition refund protection without introducing additional workflows or staff burden.
This approach makes tuition protection accessible not only to larger institutions, but also to smaller schools that may not have previously offered coverage due to operational constraints.
“Tuition refund protection doesn’t have to create more work,” said Brock Noland, CEO of Vertical Insure. “Our partnership with Blackbaud makes it possible for schools of any size to offer coverage without the complexity of establishing or managing a separate insurance program.”
Stronger, More Consistent Coverage
Tuition Refund Protection powered by Vertical Insure is designed to cover up to 100% of eligible tuition for covered reasons, helping protect both family investment and school revenue.
Unlike traditional models that can vary significantly based on individual school agreements, this approach offers a more consistent and transparent coverage structure. Schools also benefit from a model that is typically more cost effective and avoids the variability commonly associated with legacy tuition protection programs.
Why This Matters for K 12 Private and Independent Schools
This expansion reflects a broader shift toward platform led solutions in K 12 education — where essential services are delivered within the systems schools already rely on, rather than layered on through separate vendors and processes.
By aligning tuition refund protection with how tuition is billed, managed, and paid, Blackbaud is helping schools simplify operations while expanding access to coverage for more families. For Blackbaud customers, tuition protection becomes less of a separate decision and more of a built in capability that supports modern enrollment, billing, and payment plan workflows.