Starting a Business for Micro and Hybrid School Entrepreneurs. Part 1: School or Not?

The very first question you will need to decide when starting a small school business is whether or not it will actually be a legal school. Every state has different laws governing private schools, but, as far as I know, they all have a Department of Education that oversees schools operating outside the public system.

In my state of PA, a private school can exist in one of three ways. It can be run by a church or university, it can be accredited by a handful of approved accreditation agencies, or it can be directly overseen by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE). Of these three, a church-run school is probably the simplest. Churches are able to run schools, and call them schools, with the most minimal regulation. But speaking of calling them schools, what makes it a school? To actually be called a legal school, the program has to meet minimum requirements for teacher qualifications, subjects taught, days of instruction delivered, etc…and it must keep track of student attendance. There are other regulations as well imposed by either PDE or the accrediting agency, but these are the minimum.

Let’s take an example of a hybrid program that is not a traditional 5-day school, but still is a licensed school. It would need to provide 180 days of instruction and meet teacher qualification requirements. This might be a program that meets three days a week with a certified teacher, takes attendance, and then assigns and evaluates the work done on the other days at home. The parent may be supervising the assigned work, but the teacher is the supervisor of the child’s education.

Now let’s contrast this with a program that is NOT a legal school and instead serves families that are legally homeschooling. In this case, parents must declare themselves the supervisor of the child’s education in accordance with their state’s homeschool law. In PA, this means submitting an affadavit or unsworn declaration and educational objectives, keeping a portfolio of sample work, and meeting with an evaluator who signs off on a letter to the district each year. If parents are complying with this homeschool law, they are now in charge of choosing how to deliver education to their kids.

A program serving these kids may also meet 3 days a week and look almost exactly like our previous example… but it will be serving as a homeschool supplement, not a legal school. The parent is responsible for meeting the 180 days, covering required subjects, et cetera, not the teacher. In this case, while the program can certainly have assigned work or attendance requirements it imposes on families in order for them to participate in the program, these would be internal requirements rather than a state-mandated responsibility for fulfillment of work.

For the micro or hybrid school founder, the home school model means he or she can craft a program that delivers what they want it to. This might be just STEM classes, or just arts, or just humanities, or all of those things. It might be 1 day, 3, or 5. It might be 28 weeks or 36. The program is a tool for the parents to use but the parent is responsible to the law.

When deciding which to start, it is very helpful to peruse your state laws on private school licensing and homeschooling law. Once you understand the regulations, you can choose which model will deliver your vision best. Of course, you should always be monitoring what potential families need as you make this decision! The best idea might not work in every market area.

Also, remember that while homeschooling can seem very intimidating to many, if you do your research, understand the requirements, and create a robust and supportive program that includes support for the parents, many more parents may be willing to take the leap into legal homeschooling than would if they were on their own.

Also, remember that while a private school is much more regulated, opening one can also allow parents access to funds (depending on state) and may help the program enforce it’s educational requirements.

Disclaimer. I am NOT a lawyer and none of this constitutes legal advice! Remember to check with a lawyer if you have any specific questions. :)