What are your values? Who do you want to serve? What kind of education does this community need? What will your school provide that other schools cannot? What kind of social, intellectual and emotional experience do you want to give your students? Where do you want your school to be in 5 years, 25 years and 100 years? What type of school do you want to start? For-profit or non-profit? Non-profits are extremely difficult to establish but have long-term benefits. If you want to start on a smaller scale, you could consider beginning with a few afterschool classes, a part-time homeschool coop or a playgroup.
Day-to-Day Operations How long are classes? How many classes in a day? When will the day start and end? How will lunches be organized? How will teachers be scheduled? Learning Assessment What do your students need? What is the objective of the students’ learning? What criteria will be used to assess learning? How will students be tested? What constitutes graduation from the school?
How long are classes? How many classes in a day? When will the day start and end? How will lunches be organized? How will teachers be scheduled?
What do your students need? What is the objective of the students’ learning? What criteria will be used to assess learning? How will students be tested? What constitutes graduation from the school?
For a teaching statement, try to word things in such a way as to attract the best and brightest young teachers and the most enthusiastic to make your school as good as possible. May teacher select their own texts, or select from approved books? Consider ways in which you can make your school an attractive alternative for creative teachers.
Consider conducting a feasibility study to determine whether or not opening a school will be a viable option. Early in the startup process, it is essential to take a hard look at your vision and determine how best to proceed. You’ll need to determine how many students you’re likely to enroll, budget costs, operating costs, upkeep of the grounds, and all other facets of the school’s operation to determine if it will be likely to succeed. You may also want to interview people in your community about whether there is a need for this type of school
While an increasing number of micro-schools are run by a single teacher, in general, no school is run by a single “leader. " While it’s important to establish good leadership as a group, a school is more of a corporation and less of a dictatorship. To find a good board of directors, consider enlisting local members of the education community who may be dissatisfied with their local options and be interested in a more forward-thinking school, like yours.
Net earnings may not inure to the benefit of any private individual or shareholder. No substantial part of its activity may be attempting to influence legislation and may not intervene in political campaigns. The organization’s purposes and activities may not be illegal or violate fundamental public policy.
The tax-exempt status can be somewhat time-consuming, and you may want to consult a lawyer to go over the paperwork with you and ensure that you’re interpreting and filling it out correctly. To file for tax-exempt status, fill out IRS form 1023, found here.
Apply for grants appropriate to your school and use the money toward implementing your vision.
Start early. The leasing, renovation and construction processes tend to take longer than anticipated. Also, if possible, design your physical space to facilitate your school’s mission.
